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The Oxidation of Metals with Liebig Acids
Author(s) -
Meyer Gerd
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.354
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1521-3749
pISSN - 0044-2313
DOI - 10.1002/zaac.200700387
Subject(s) - chemistry , inorganic chemistry , nitric acid , sulfuric acid , alkali metal , ammonia , ammonium , hydrogen , metal , halide , solvent , organic chemistry
In Liebig 's definition, an acid is a compound which contains one or more hydrogen atoms which may be substituted by metal atoms. Hence, reactions of Liebig acids in substance, excluding water or any other solvent, with non‐noble metals yield salts and release hydrogen. In this sense, not only the classical mineral acids such as sulfuric or nitric acid, respectively, are Liebig acids. Rather, there is a large variety of organic compounds with, for example, HO‐ or HN‐functions with acid constants that allow for substitution of the hydrogen atoms by a metal atom. Simple covalent hydrides like water and ammonia or even methane may also act as Liebig acids with conditions properly chosen. The ammonium ion, (NH 4 ) + , represents a special case as it is available in a large variety of salts and may react as an acid/oxidant or as a (base)/reductant and is also a pseudo alkali‐metal cation. The versatility of the ammonium ion is reviewed with special emphasis to its ability to function as a Liebig acid, i.e., reactions of, especially, ammonium halides with non‐noble metals.