Draw the structure of oxoacids of phosphorus. Account for its basicity and reducing behaviour.
Dear Student,
Phosphorous has 8 oxoacids namely,
In oxoacids, number of ionisable H determines the basicity of the acid. Only the hydrogen atoms that are attached to O in P-OH bond are ionisable and impart acidic character to the compound. Therefore, greater number of P-OH bonds, greater will be the basicity.
Now, the oxoacids have reducing properties due to P-H bonds, Greater the number of P-H bonds, greater will be the reducing nature. Therefore, Hypophosphorous acid acts as a good reducing agent.
Phosphorous has 8 oxoacids namely,
- Hypophosphorous acid(H3PO2)
- Phosphorourous acid(H3PO3)
- Hypophosphoric acid(H4P2O6)
- Orthophosphoric acid(H3PO4)
- Diphsophoric or Pyrophosphoric acid(H4P2O7)
- Metaphosphoric acid(HPO3)
- Peroxomonophosphoric acid(H3PO5)
- Pyrophosphorous acid (H4P2O5)
In oxoacids, number of ionisable H determines the basicity of the acid. Only the hydrogen atoms that are attached to O in P-OH bond are ionisable and impart acidic character to the compound. Therefore, greater number of P-OH bonds, greater will be the basicity.
Now, the oxoacids have reducing properties due to P-H bonds, Greater the number of P-H bonds, greater will be the reducing nature. Therefore, Hypophosphorous acid acts as a good reducing agent.