What products are expected from the disproportionation reaction of hypochlorous acid? (a) \(\mathrm{HClO}_{3}\) and \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (b) \(\mathrm{HClO}_{2}\) and \(\mathrm{HClO}_{4}\) (c) \(\mathrm{HCl}\) and \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (d) \(\mathrm{HCl}\) and \(\mathrm{HClO}_{3}\)

Understanding redox reactions is crucial for students who study chemistry, as they are involved in various processes, from industrial synthesis to biological systems. A redox reaction is a chemical process in which one substance gives up electrons, known as oxidation, while another substance gains electrons, known as reduction. This electron transfer is essential to the reaction's occurrence.

For instance, in the disproportionation of hypochlorous acid, a single compound undergoes both oxidation and reduction. Effectively, this means that within one molecule of hypochlorite, chlorine is both losing and gaining electrons, leading to two different molecules with differing oxidation states of chlorine. To grasp the conversion effectively, students need to recognize the simultaneous events and how they relate to the conservation of charge.

Oxidation states or numbers are integral to understanding redox reactions, including disproportionation reactions. They indicate the degree of oxidation of an atom within a molecule. To identify which atoms are oxidized and which are reduced in a reaction, it is important to determine their oxidation states before and after the reaction.

To better understand a substance's disproportionation, such as hypochlorous acid (HClO), students should first determine the oxidation state of the central atom—in this case, chlorine. For HClO, chlorine has an oxidation state of +1. In the products, chlorine's oxidation state deviates from this value, being reduced in one product and oxidized in another, which is a hallmark of disproportionation reactions. Comprehending these numerical assignments is critical to predicting reaction outcomes correctly.

Hypochlorous acid, with the chemical formula HClO, plays an important role in chemistry, namely in disinfection and as a bleaching agent. Its structure gives chlorine an oxidation state of +1, and as with any compound, changes in oxidation states during reactions can result in a range of products.

In the context of its disproportionation reaction, we evaluate the potential products based on their respective chlorine oxidation states. Students need to identify products where the chlorine atom has an oxidation state that is both above and below +1. This process highlights the dual nature of disproportionation—where a single reactant can be the source of both the reducing and oxidizing agents. The understanding of HClO chemistry is enriched through exercises that explore its tendency to undergo disproportionation and the implications thereof on the resulting products.