Question

Name three oxoacids of nitrogen. Write the disproportionation reaction of that oxoacid of nitrogen in which nitrogen is in +3 oxidation state.

Answer 1

Oxoacids of Nitrogen

Three oxoacids of nitrogen are:
(1) Nitric acid $\left(HN{O}_3\right)$
(2) Nitrous acid $\left(HN{O}_2\right)$
(3) Hyponitrous acid $\left(H_2{N}_2{O}_2\right)$

The oxidation state of nitrogen in the given oxoacids are:
(1) $HN{O}_3$ - oxidation state of N = +5
(2) $\left(HN{O}_2\right)$ -oxidation state of N = +3
(3) $\left(H_2{N}_2{O}_2\right)$ -oxidation state of N = +1

Disproportionation reaction of oxoacids of nitrogen

In Nitrous acid $\left(HN{O}_2\right)$ nitrogen has +3 oxidation state.
Thus disproportionation reaction of $HN{O}_2$ is given as:
$HN{O}_2\to HN{O}_3+2NO+H_{2}O$

Oxidation state:
N = +3 N = +5 N = +2

Thus, in the above reaction $HN{O}_2$ is getting reduced to NO and it is getting oxidized to $HN{O}_3$ simultaneously.