JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3qa035
A sodium salt X decolourises acidified KMnOX4, gives a brown vapour at the mouth of the tube with dilute HX2SOX4 and turns starch-iodide paper blue after acidification. X, the oxidation state of nitrogen in the product of oxidation by KMnOX4, and the moles of MnOX4X− consumed per mole of X are respectively
ANaNOX2 ; +4 ; 0.4
BNaNOX2 ; +5 ; 0.4
CNaNOX2 ; +5 ; 2.5
DNaNOX2 ; +3 ; 0.4
Answer: B
The brown vapour and the starch-iodide result identify nitrite. 2MnOX4X−+5NOX2X−+6HX+2MnX2++5NOX3X−+3HX2O oxidises N from +3 to +5 (nitrate), and the mole ratio is 2/5 = 0.4. The reciprocal 2.5 is the usual slip.