Question

I have been trying to balance this redox reaction for the last two hours, but my final answer doesn't look correct. I am trying to balance the oxidation reaction of benzoin to benzil using nitric acid.
The unbalanced equation is :- benzoin + nitric acid ----> benzil + NO2
My answer is :- Benzoin + 2 nitric acid ------> 2 NO2 + 2 H2O + benzil
I balanced it using half rxn
does it look correct, please help.

Answer 1

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Question #59568, Chemistry / Organic Chemistry

I have been trying to balance this redox reaction for the last two hours, but my final answer doesn't look correct. I am trying to balance the oxidation reaction of benzoin to benzil using nitric acid.

The unbalanced equation is :- benzoin + nitric acid ---> benzil + NO2

My answer is :- Benzoin + 2 nitric acid ---> 2 NO2 + 2 H2O + benzil

I balanced it using half rxn

does it look correct, please help.

Answer:

Yes, it is absolutely correct.

Here is the equation:

Or in more conventional way:

$$\mathrm{C}_{14}\mathrm{H}_{12}\mathrm{O}_{2} + 2\mathrm{HNO}_{3} = \mathrm{C}_{14}\mathrm{H}_{10}\mathrm{O}_{2} + 2\mathrm{NO}_{2} + 2\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}$$

Or

$$\mathrm{H}_{2} + 2\mathrm{HNO}_{3} = 2\mathrm{NO}_{2} + 2\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}$$