Question

Sir/ Madam

Whycan't ozone be a reducing agent?

The highest oxidation state of oxygen is +2 which is possible when it combines with fluorine. Now then, why can't ozone be a reducing agent?

What happens when ozone reacts with fluorine or fluorine containing compound?

Please explain in detail.

Answer 1

Solution -
(1) Ozone acts as powerful oxidizing agent because it can easily decompose to give an atom of nascent oxygen which is more reactive than oxygen. A strong oxidizing agent attracts electrons and gets reduced, and is generally represented by halogens or a substance that consists of oxygen.

(2) Flourine is the most electronegative element that's been discovered so far, and you can find a list of common reducing and oxidizing agents here, arranged by strength and experimentally determined to form a table of standard potentials: Oxidizing and Reducing Agents. You'll notice Flourine is at the top of the list, with O3 ozone coming in at a close second, though some put a hydroxy radical as the next best thing.

F2(g) + 2 H+ + 2 e- ---------------> 2 HF(aq)

O3(g) + 2 H+ + 2 e- --------------------> O2(g) + H2O

S2O82- + 2 e- -----------> 2SO42-

However, the strength of the oxidizing agent is contingent on, for example, the type of reaction, reaction environment and the presence of catalysts. If you're using cold flourine in base, it will likely be weaker than O3 in a hot, acidic environment.

(3) Oxygen- and fluorine-containing radicals like FO2 and FO are occur in the atmosphere. ... But the fluorine oxide radicals are assumed to not play as big a role in the ozone depletion because, free fluorine atoms in the atmosphere are believed to react with methane to produce hydrofluoric acid which precipitates in rain.