Question

Describe the preparation of potassium permanganate. How does the acidified permanganate solution react with oxalic acid? Write the ionic equation for the reaction.

Answer 1

Potassium permanganate can be made by the following methods –

In the laboratory, salts of the manganese (II) ion are oxidized by oxydisulfate to form permanganates.

\[\ce{2Mn^{2+} + 5S2O^{2-}_8 + 8H2O -> 2MnO^-_4 + 10SO^{2-}_4 + 16H^+}\]

The chemical reactions of acidic potassium permanganate are as follows –

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\ce{COO^-}\phantom{.......}\\
\ce{2MnO^-_4 + 16H^+ + 5  | -> 2Mn^{2+} + 8H2O + 10CO2 ^}\\
\ce{COO^-}\phantom{.......}
\end{array}\]