Question

Explain the term disproportionation reaction.

Answer 1

Disproportionation reaction-

1. A disproportionation reaction is a reaction in which, the same element is simultaneously oxidized and reduced.
2. In this type of reaction, a single substance gives two product, one is oxidized while the other is reduced.
3. The example of a disproportionation reaction is given below:

$$\begin{gathered} 2{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to 2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ \left(\mathrm{Hydrogen}\mathrm{peroxide}\right)\left(\mathrm{Water}\right)\left(\mathrm{Oxygen}\right) \end{gathered}$$

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}-\mathrm{Reduced}\mathrm{product}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{in}{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2 \\ {\mathrm{O}}_2-\mathrm{Oxidised}\mathrm{product}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{in}{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2 \end{gathered}$$

Hence, a Disproprtionation reaction is a reaction in which the same element is reduced as well oxidized simultaneously.