The catalytic oxidation of ethanol has been carried out over a tantalum oxide ca

Question

The catalytic oxidation of ethanol has been carried out over a tantalum oxide catalyst. The overall reaction

is believed to proceed by the following mechanism, in which ethanol is adsorbed on one type of site, S, and oxygen is adsorbed on a different type of site, S'. Ethanol undergoes dissociative adsorption on two type S sites:

Oxygen also undergoes dissociative adsorption on two type S' sites (presumably metal ions):

a) Assuming that the rate-limiting step is

and that the adsorbed hydroxyl may be converted into water by

show that the initial rate law is

-rA0 = (kPA1/2PO21/2) / [(1 + KO21/2PO21/2)(1 + 2KA1/2PA1/2)

note: NA•S = NH•S where A = C2H5OH, A•S = C2H5O•S, W = H2O

b) What generalizations can you make after studying this problem?

Explanation / Answer

In this reaction also, the initial rate law is dependent upon the slowest step i.e. rate limiting step.

and after styding this, we can say that this is 1.5 order reaction.

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