I was trying to solve a problem from a regional contest where it was a mixture of bicarbonates of Na and Mg which was put at high temperature. What are the reactions of decomposition?
I've thought that the reactions are: 2NaHCOX3⟶NaX2COX3+HX2O+COX2
But, I found out that the second reaction is wrong. Actually, the reaction is
Mg(HCOX3)X2⟶MgO+HX2O+2COX2
I searched on the web and I found the decomposition of other bicarbonates, like Ca(HCOX3)X2 is similar to the first reaction. Is there any rule? When is carbonate and when is oxide? Or is Mg an exception?
Thanks!
Answer
I can quite easily remember from my class XI studies that carbonates of alkali metals decompose on heating to give carbon dioxide and the corresponding metal oxide.
Moreover the thermal stability of the alkali metal carbonates increases with increasing cationic size because carbonate ion is big in size and increased cationic size leads to better bonding and hence greater stability.
In this regard the beryllium carbonate is the least stable alkali carbonate or in other words, an unstable alkali carbonate and readily decomposes into BeO and COX2. BeCOX3 is so unstable that it can only be kept in an atmosphere of COX2. MgCOX3 is also a bit unstable taking into consideration the above fact.
So the reaction you mentioned basically gives MgCOX3 as the product but MgCOX3 decomposes readily to give MgO and COX2. Mg(HCOX3)X2⟶MgCOX3+HX2O+COX2
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