Acidic properties are those that are most pronounced in a given environment. There are a number of them. It is necessary to be able to determine the acid properties of alcohols and other compounds not only to identify the content of the corresponding medium in them. It is also important for the recognition of the studied substance.
There are many tests for acidic properties. The most elementary is immersion in the substance of an indicator - litmus paper, which reacts to the content of hydrogen, pink or blushing. Moreover, a more saturated color shows a stronger acid. And vice versa.
Acidic properties are enhanced along with an increase in the radii of negative ions and, therefore, of the atom. This provides easier removal of hydrogen particles. This quality is a characteristic of strong acids.
The most characteristic acidic properties exist. These include:
- dissociation (cleavage of the hydrogen cation);
- decomposition (the formation of acid oxide and water under the influence of temperature and oxygen);
- interaction with hydroxides (as a result of which water and salt are formed);
- interaction with oxides (as a result, salt and water are also formed);
- interaction with metals preceding hydrogen in a series of activities (salt and water are formed, sometimes with evolution of gas);
- interaction with salts (only if the acid is stronger than the salt formed).
Often chemists have to produce acids on their own. There are two ways to derive them. One of them is the mixing of acid oxide with water. This method is used most often. And the second is the interaction of a strong acid with a weaker salt. It is used somewhat less often.
It is known that acidic properties are also manifested in many organic substances. They can be expressed stronger or weaker depending on the structure of the nuclei of atoms. For example, the acidic properties of alcohols are manifested in the ability to cleave the hydrogen cation when interacting with alkalis and metals.
Alcoholates - salts of alcohols - are able to hydrolyze under the influence of water and secrete alcohol with metal hydroxide. This proves that the acidic properties of these substances are weaker than that of water. Consequently, the environment is more pronounced in them.
The acidic properties of phenol are much stronger due to the increased polarity of the OH compound. Therefore, this substance can also react with hydroxides of alkaline earth and alkali metals. As a result, salts are formed - phenolates. To identify phenol, it is most effective to use a qualitative reaction with iron (III) chloride , in which the substance acquires a blue-violet color.
So, the acidic properties in different compounds are manifested equally, but with different intensities, which depends on the structure of the nuclei and the polarity of the hydrogen bonds. They help determine the environment of the substance and its composition. Along with these properties, there are also basic ones that increase with the weakening of the former.
All these characteristics manifest themselves in most complex substances and form an important part of the world around us. Indeed, it is at their expense that many processes take place not only in nature, but also in living organisms. Therefore, acidic properties are extremely important, without them life on earth would be impossible.