Solvatochromism of Cupric Chloride and Its Conversion to Copper Oxide

• Michael J. Jenkins ^[1] ; Miranda A. Phillips ^[1] ; Zi-Ling Xue ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Tennessee, United States
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 100, Nº 12, 2023, págs. 4772-4779
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This experiment demonstrates that copper(II) chloride dihydrate (CuCl2·2H2O) in different solvents (acetone, isopropyl alcohol, or water) displays divergent colors and visible-near IR spectra. Both the reactions of these solutions with 2 equiv of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the direct solid-state reaction of CuCl2·2H2O with 2NaOH using a mortar and pestle give copper(II) oxide (CuO). Undergraduate students learn the following: (1) d–d electronic transitions in a transition metal complex; (2) effects of solvent polarity changes on the electronic ground and excited state of Cu2+ ions as well as color differences; (3) direct solid-state reaction as a green synthetic method; (4) gradual formation of CuO from solution reactions of CuCl2·2H2O with 2 equiv of NaOH; (5) characterization of chemical compounds in solutions by visible-near IR spectroscopy and solid products by IR and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). This experiment is suitable as a junior-level inorganic chemistry experiment.