Question

Methyl iodide reacts irreversibly with azide ion with rate = k[CH3I][N3–]. CH3I(aq) + N3–(aq) → CH3N3(aq) + I–(aq) The reaction is carried out with an initial concentration of CH3I of 0.01 M. Which statement about the reaction is correct?

Answer 1

Answer:

(D) The reaction cannot take place in a single elementary step

Explanation:

Statements are:

(A) The time it takes for [CH3I] to decrease to 0.005 M is independent of [N3-], as long as [N3] >> [CH3I].

B) If the initial concentrations of azide and CH3I are equal, then it takes half as long for [CH3I] to decrease to 0.005 M as it does for it to decrease from 0.005 M to 0.0025 M.

(C) The reaction rate is significantly smaller if excess I- is added to the solution.

(D) The reaction cannot take place in a single elementary step.

The rate of the reaction is:

rate = k[CH3I][N3–].

That means rate depends of concentration of CH₃I as much as N₃⁻ concentration

(A) The time it takes for [CH3I] to decrease to 0.005 M is independent of [N3-], as long as [N3] >> [CH3I]. FALSE. The reaction rate depends of N₃⁻ as much as CH₃I

B) If the initial concentrations of azide and CH3I are equal, then it takes half as long for [CH3I] to decrease to 0.005 M as it does for it to decrease from 0.005 M to 0.0025 M. FALSE. Reaction is second-order. Half-life is 1/K[A]₀. If initial concentration is 0.1M, to a concentration of 0.005M it takes:

1/K*0.1. If initial concentration is 0.005M it takes 1/K*0.005. That means it takes half to decrease from 0.005M to 0.0025 as it does for it to decrease from 0.01M to 0.005M.

(C) The reaction rate is significantly smaller if excess I- is added to the solution. FALSE. Reaction rate is independent of I⁻

(D) The reaction cannot take place in a single elementary step. TRUE. As this reaction is a single-replacement reaction implies the formation  of 1 C-N bond. But also the rupture of the C-I bond is impossible to explain this kind of reaction in a single elementary step.