User:Milton Beychok/Sandbox

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Typical inorganic chemical reactions

There is no universally accepted list of the typical, important inorganic reactions. Although there are numerous available sources (books, journal and Internet websites) that include such lists, they all differ to some extent from each other. The inorganic reaction types listed and explained below were drawn from many of the available sources:[1][2][3][4][5]

Synthesis reaction: (also referred to as combination or composition reaction)

This is a reaction in which two or more reactants combine to form a single product, where each reactant is a chemical element or compound and the reaction product consist of the two reactants. Examples include:

2Na + Cl2 → 2NaCl
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3
2H2 + S → H2S

Decomposition reaction: (may be thermal, electrolytic or catalytic decomposition reaction)

This is a reaction in which a chemical compound is separated into elements or simpler compounds. It is often defined as being the opposite of a synthesis reaction. Examples include:

  • hydrogen peroxide → water + oxygen     (Hydrogen peroxide spontaneously decomposes into water and gaseous oxygen.)
2H2O2 → 2H2O + O2
CaCO3 + heat → CaO + CO2

Single displacement reaction: (also referred to as substitution or single replacement reaction)

This is a reaction characterized by one element being displaced from a compound by another element. Examples include:

Cu + 2HCl → CuCl2 + H2
Zn + CuSO4 → Cu + ZnSO4

Metathesis reaction: (also referred to as exchange or double displacement or double replacement reaction)

This is a reaction in which two compounds exchange bonds or ions to form new, different compounds. Examples include:

Na2SO4 + BaCl2 → BaSO4 + 2NaCl
AgNO3 + HCl → HNO3 + AgCl

Precipitation reaction: (a specific type of metathesis referred to as aqueous metathesis)

This is a reaction that occurs when two inorganic salt solutions, as in the example below, react to form a solution containing a soluble product and another product that is insoluble and precipitates out of the solution:

CaCl2 (aq) + 2AgNO3 (aq) → Ca(NO3)2 (aq) + 2AgCl (s)

Neutralization reaction (another specific type of metathesis that is sometimes referred to as an acid-base reaction )

This is a reaction in which an acid and a base react to form a salt. Water is also produced in neutralizations with Arrhenius acids , which dissociate in aqueous solution to form hydrogen ions (H +), and Arrhenius bases, which form hydroxide (OH −) ions. However, water is not produced in all neutralizations as in the case of ammonia. Examples include:

HNO3 + NaOH → NaNO3 +H2O
HCl + NH3 → NH4Cl

Redox reaction: (also referred to as oxidation-reduction reaction)

This is a reaction in which the oxidation numbers of atoms are changed. Examples include:

  • hydrogen + fluorine → hydrogen fluoride
H2 + F2 → 2HF

    Hydrogen is oxidized by its oxidation number increasing from zero to +1. Fluorine is reduced by its oxidation number decreasing from zero to -1.



  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Cotton
  2. ↑ P.A. Cox (2004). Inorganic Chemistry, 2nd Edition. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 1-85996-289-0. 
  3. ↑ Types of Equations From the website of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virgina Tech). A list of many similar, excellent chemistry articles are available here.
  4. ↑ Types of Inorganic Chemical Reactions By Dr. Anne Marie Helmenstine on the website of About.com: Chemistry.
  5. ↑ Types of Chemical Reactions By Dr. Anne Marie Helmenstine on the website of About.com: Chemistry.

Iodine + thiosulfate ion → tetrathionate ion + iodide ion     (the iodine has been reduced and the thiosulfate ion has been oxidized)

I2 (aq) + 2 S2O32−(aq) → S4O62−(aq) + 2 I − (aq)
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