UNIVERSIDAD DE ANTIOQUIA

FACULTAD DE INGENIERIA
DEPARTAMENTO DE INGENIERIA QUÍMICA
CURSO: IQU-458 INGENIERÍA DE LAS REACCIONES QUÍMICAS
Homework 4

Homework assigned on December 3 th 2013

Due on January 16th 2014

1. (45 %) Penicillin G reacts with hydroxylamine (NO2OH) to form hydroxamic acid,

which produces a colored complex with iron (III). To determine the overall reaction
order, equal concentrations of penicillin and NH2OH were mixed together in a 250-mL
flask [J. Chem. Educ., 49, 539 (1972)]. Samples were withdrawn every 10 minutes and
added to a solution containing iron (III) chloride. With the aid of a colorimeter, the
concentration of the colored complex, and hence the concentration of hydroxamic acid,
was obtained as a function of time. The absorbance shown in the table below is directly
proportional to the hydroxamic acid concentration.

a (40 %) Use the nonlinear least squares (i.e., regression) and one other technique to
determine the reaction order, α, and specific reaction rate, k.
b (5 %) What experimental conditions would you suggest if you were to obtain more
data? Explain.

2. (40 %) The oxidation of propene (P) to acrolein (A) was carried out over a Mo-Pr-Bi
catalyst [Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 26, 1419 (1987)].

CH3CH=CH2+O2 → CH2=CHCHO+H2O

It has been proposed to correlate the data using the power law model for the rate law
[cf. Equation (5-2)].

racrolein = kPαPPβO2

The reaction was carried out in a differential reactor with 0.5 g of catalyst at 623 K.
From the data below, determine the reaction orders with respect to propene (α) and
oxygen (β) and the specific reaction rate, k.
where
FA = exiting molar flow rate of acrolein, mmol/h
PP = entering partial pressure of propene, atm
PO2 = entering partial pressure of oxygen, atm

3. (15 %) Prepare a detailed experimental plan to learn the rate law for the
hydrogenation of cyclopentane on a Pt/Al2O3 catalyst.