Question

What would you expect to be the hydrolysis products of (a) cyanic acid, (b) isocyanic acid and (c) thiocyanic acid?

Short answer

Cyanic acid and isocyanic acid hydrolyze to form carbon dioxide and ammonia. Thiocyanic acid hydrolyzes to produce carbonyl sulfide and hydrogen cyanide.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Hydrolysis

Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which water breaks down another compound and changes its structure. In organic chemistry, this often involves the splitting of bonds in an acid, facilitated by the addition of water.

Identifying Cyanic Acid

Cyanic acid has the molecular formula ext{HOCN}. When water is added to cyanic acid, it rearranges to form carbon dioxide ext{CO}_2, ammonia ext{NH}_3, and water ext{H}_2O.

Hydrolysis of Cyanic Acid

The hydrolysis of cyanic acid involves the following reaction: \[ ext{HOCN} + ext{H}_2 ext{O} ightarrow ext{CO}_2 + ext{NH}_3 \] This reaction results in the formation of carbon dioxide and ammonia.

Identifying Isocyanic Acid

Isocyanic acid is represented by the structure ext{HNCO}. Upon reaction with water, it also produces carbon dioxide and ammonia.

Hydrolysis of Isocyanic Acid

For isocyanic acid, the hydrolysis reaction is represented as: \[ ext{HNCO} + ext{H}_2 ext{O} ightarrow ext{CO}_2 + ext{NH}_3 \] Similar to cyanic acid, the products are carbon dioxide and ammonia.

Identifying Thiocyanic Acid

Thiocyanic acid can be expressed with the molecular formula ext{HSCN}. On hydrolysis, thiocyanic acid results in the formation of carbonyl sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, and water.

Hydrolysis of Thiocyanic Acid

Thiocyanic acid hydrolyzes according to the equation: \[ ext{HSCN} + ext{H}_2 ext{O} ightarrow ext{COS} + ext{HCN} \] This reaction yields carbonyl sulfide and hydrogen cyanide.

Key concepts

Cyanic Acid

Cyanic acid, abbreviated as HOCN, is a simple acid that plays an interesting role in organic chemistry. When cyanic acid undergoes hydrolysis, it reacts with water. This process involves breaking the nitrogen-carbon bond present in cyanic acid. The reaction produces carbon dioxide \( \text{CO}_2 \) and ammonia \( \text{NH}_3 \), both of which are common products in various organic reactions.
This hydrolysis can be represented by the equation: \[ \text{HOCN} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + \text{NH}_3 \]

• Water acts as a reactant that facilitates the breakdown of HOCN.
• Carbon is oxidized to form carbon dioxide.
• Nitrogen is reduced to form ammonia.

This reaction demonstrates how even a simple compound like cyanic acid can undergo transformation to form different essential molecules.
The process exemplifies the versatility of reactions in organic chemistry.

Isocyanic Acid

Isocyanic acid has the chemical formula HNCO and is another organic compound similar to cyanic acid. The fascinating feature about isocyanic acid is its structural arrangement where the nitrogen is bonded to the hydrogen. This position swaps compared to cyanic acid.
When isocyanic acid is hydrolyzed, it follows a similar reaction pathway as cyanic acid, yielding carbon dioxide and ammonia. The chemical reaction is shown as follows:\[ \text{HNCO} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + \text{NH}_3 \]

• This reaction demonstrates the interconnectedness of nitrogen chemistry and carbon chemistry.
• The result is the breakdown of the N-C bond under the influence of water.

Though isocyanic acid and cyanic acid appear similar, their structural differences play crucial roles. Despite these differences, they share similar hydrolysis products, providing an exciting insight into structural chemistry's subtle impacts.

Thiocyanic Acid

Thiocyanic acid, represented by the formula HSCN, introduces sulfur into the mix, adding complexity to its reactions. When this molecule undergoes hydrolysis, the involvement of sulfur leads to different products compared to its nitrogen-only relatives.
The breakdown of HSCN with water results in carbonyl sulfide \( \text{COS} \) and hydrogen cyanide \( \text{HCN} \). This reaction proceeds as:\[ \text{HSCN} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{COS} + \text{HCN} \]

• Sulfur alters the pathway and products of hydrolysis, showcasing sulfur's chemistry uniqueness.
• Carbonyl sulfide formed here is a simple yet notable compound in chemical synthesis.
• Hydrogen cyanide is a colorless poisonous liquid, and its formation reflects the reaction's potential hazards when not handled properly.

Thiocyanic acid beautifully illustrates how substituting an element can lead to dramatically different outcomes, highlighting the diverse world of organic reactions.

Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry is a broad and fascinating field of science. It revolves around carbon-based molecules, exploring how they interact, transform, and build the foundation of life and materials. Hydrolysis reactions, like those seen in cyanic, isocyanic, and thiocyanic acids, are just one type of organic reaction.
These reactions are crucial because:

• They demonstrate fundamental molecular transformations involving water.
• They reveal the importance of bonding, and how even minor structural differences can result in varied reaction pathways.
• They provide insights into industrial applications, synthesis processes, and even biological systems.

By studying hydrolysis in organic chemistry, students gain a profound understanding of reactivity and mechanisms. This foundation is crucial for those aspiring to delve deeper into chemistry, whether in academic, applied, or research settings.