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Typical inorganic chemical reactions

There is no universally accepted list of the typical, important inorganic reactions. Although there are numerous available sources (books, journal and Internet websites) that include such lists, they all differ to some extent from each other. The inorganic reaction types listed and explained below were drawn from many of the available sources:

Synthesis reaction: (also referred to as combination or composition reaction)

This is a reaction in which two or more reactants combine to form a single product, where each reactant is a chemical element or compound and the reaction product consist of the two reactants. Examples include:

• sodium + chlorine → sodium chloride

2Na + Cl₂ → 2NaCl

• carbon dioxide + water → carbonic acid

CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃

• hydrogen + sulfur → hydrogen sulfide

2H₂ + S → H₂S

Decomposition reaction: (may be thermal, electrolytic or catalytic decomposition reaction)

This is a reaction in which a chemical compound is separated into elements or simpler compounds. It is often defined as being the opposite of a synthesis reaction. Examples include:

• hydrogen peroxide → water + oxygen     (Hydrogen peroxide spontaneously decomposes into water and gaseous oxygen.)

2H₂O₂ → 2H₂O + O₂

• calcium carbonate + heat → calcium oxide + carbon dioxide     (When heated, calcium carbonate decomposes into calcium oxide and gaseous carbon dioxide.)

CaCO₃ + heat → CaO + CO₂

Single displacement reaction: (also referred to as substitution or single replacement reaction)

This is a reaction characterized by one element being displaced from a compound by another element. Examples include:

• copper + hydrochloric acid → copper chloride + hydrogen

Cu + 2HCl → CuCl₂ + H₂

• zinc + copper sulfate → copper + zinc sulfate

Zn + CuSO₄ → Cu + ZnSO₄

Metathesis reaction: (also referred to as exchange or double displacement or double replacement reaction)

This is a reaction in which two compounds exchange bonds or ions to form new, different compounds. Examples include:

• sodium sulfate + barium chloride → barium sulfate + sodium chloride

Na₂SO₄ + BaCl₂ → BaSO₄ + 2NaCl

• silver nitrate + hydrochloric acid → nitric acid + silver chloride

AgNO₃ + HCl → HNO₃ + AgCl

Precipitation reaction: (a specific type of metathesis referred to as aqueous metathesis)

This is a reaction that occurs when two inorganic salt solutions, as in the example below, react to form a solution containing a soluble product and another product that is insoluble and precipitates out of the solution:

• calcium chloride + silver nitrate → calcium nitrate + silver chloride     (Insoluble silver chloride precipitates out of the aqueous solution).

CaCl₂ (aq) + 2AgNO₃ (aq) → Ca(NO₃)₂ (aq) + 2AgCl (s)

Neutralization reaction (another specific type of metathesis that is sometimes referred to as an acid-base reaction )

This is a reaction in which an acid and a base react to form a salt. Water is also produced in neutralizations with Arrhenius acids, which dissociate in aqueous solution to form hydrogen ions (H ⁺), and Arrhenius bases, which form hydroxide ions (OH⁻). However, water is not produced in all neutralizations as is the case with ammonia. Examples include:

• nitric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium nitrate + water

HNO₃ + NaOH → NaNO₃ + H₂O

• hydrochloric acid + ammonia → ammonium chloride

HCl + NH₃ → NH₄Cl

Redox reaction: (also referred to as oxidation-reduction reaction)

This is a reaction in which the oxidation numbers of atoms are changed. Examples include:

• hydrogen + fluorine → hydrogen fluoride

H₂ + F₂ → 2HF

    Hydrogen is oxidized by its oxidation number increasing from zero to +1. Fluorine is reduced by its oxidation number decreasing from zero to -1.

• Iron + cupric sulfate → ferrous sulfate + copper

Fe + CuSO₄ → FeSO₄ + Cu

    Iron is oxidized by its oxidation number increasing from zero to +2. Copper is reduced by its oxidation number decreasing from +2 to zero.

Iodine + thiosulfate ion → tetrathionate ion + iodide ion     (the iodine has been reduced and the thiosulfate ion has been oxidized)

I₂ (aq) + 2 S₂O₃²⁻(aq) → S₄O₆²⁻(aq) + 2 I ⁻ (aq)