CATALYSIS

ASSIGNMENT

Submitted by: AHSAN MISBAH UL HADI

Submitted to: ……………………

May 11, 2020

Table of Contents
What is Catalysis?...............................................................................................3
Why we use catalyst in catalysis? ......................................................................3
Activation Energy .............................................................................................. 3
How do Catalyst Work: ......................................................................................4
Catalyst Function: …….................................................................................... 5
Activated Complex: ............................................................................................ 5
Types of Catalysis: .............................................................................................. 6
Heterogeneous Catalysis .......................................................................................6
Homogeneous Catalysis ...................................................................................... 6
Autocatalysis: ...................................................................................................... 7
Catalysis , Activation Energy & Exergonic Endergonic Reaction..................... 7
Endergonic Reaction: ........................................................................................... 8
Exergonic Reaction. ............................................................................................. 9
 What is Catalysis?
Catalysis is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as
a catalyst. which is not consumed in the catalyzed reaction and can continue to act repeatedly. Because of this,
only very small amounts of catalyst are required to alter the reaction rate in most cases.

Why we use catalyst in catalysis?

A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction but is not consumed during the
course of the reaction by lowering the Activation Energy. A catalyst will appear in the steps of a
reaction mechanism, but it will not appear in the overall chemical reaction (as it is not a reactant or
product).

Activation Energy
Definition:-

The minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to proceed.

Even at a fixed temperature, the energy of the reacting particles varies, meaning that only some of
them will have enough energy to be part of the chemical reaction, depending on the activation energy for
that reaction. Increasing the reaction temperature has the effect of increasing the number of particles
with enough energy to take part in the reaction, and increasing the reaction rate.
 Reacting molecule must have energy greater than the activation energy, as well as the correct
orientation, for the reaction to take place.

Increasing the temperature of a reaction mixture raises the average kinetic energy of the particles. As
can be seen on the graph given below, a higher proportion of the particles can now react making the
reaction faster. With the increased movement of the molecules the chances of a molecule having the
correct orientation is also increased.

Figure : The distribution of particle kinetic energies with an increase in temperature. There is an
increased number of particles with sufficient energy due to the higher temperature.

How do catalysts work?

A catalyst speeds up the rate of a reaction by

lowering the activation energy; in addition, the
catalyst is regenerated in the process. Several
reactions that are thermodynamically favorable in
the absence of a catalyst only occur at a reasonable
rate when a catalyst is present.

One such reaction is catalytic hydrogenation, the

process by which hydrogen is added across an
alkene C=C bond to afford the saturated alkane
product. A comparison of the reaction coordinate
diagrams (also known as energy diagrams) for
catalyzed and uncatalyzed alkene hydrogenation is
shown in figure.
Catalyst Function
Catalysts function by providing an alternate reaction mechanism that has a lower activation energy than
would be found in the absence of the catalyst. In some cases, the catalyzed mechanism may include
additional steps, as depicted in the reaction diagrams shown in figure given below. This lower activation
energy results in an increase in rate as described by the Arrhenius equation. Note that a catalyst
decreases the activation energy for both the forward and the reverse reactions and hence accelerates
both the forward and the reverse reactions. Consequently, the presence of a catalyst will permit a
system to reach equilibrium more quickly, but it has no effect on the position of the equilibrium as
reflected in the value of its equilibrium constant.

Activated Complex
Catalysts generally react with one or more of the reactants to form a chemical intermediate, which then
reacts to form the final product. The chemical intermediate is sometimes called the activated complex.

The following is an example of how a reaction involving a catalyst might proceed. A and B are
reactants, C

is the catalyst, and D is the product of the reaction of A and B.

Step 1: A+C→AC

Step 2: B+AC→ACB

Step 3: ACB→C+D

ACB represents the intermediate chemical. Although the catalyst (C )is consumed by reaction 1, it is
later released again by reaction 3, so that the overall reaction with a catalyst is as follows:
A+B+C→D+C

You can see from this that the catalyst is released at the end of the reaction, completely unchanged.
Without a catalyst the overall reaction would be:

A+B → D

The catalyst has provided an alternative set of reaction steps, which we refer to as an alternative
pathway. The pathway involving the catalyst requires less activation energy and is therefore faster.

Types of Catalysis:

On the basis of nature and the physical state of substance employed in the chemical reaction, catalysis is
of three types;

 Homogeneous catalysis
 Heterogeneous catalysis
 Autocatalysis

Heterogeneous Catalysis
In this type of catalysis, the reacting substances in a reaction and catalyst
employed in that reaction are not in the same state of matter.

Mechanism of Heterogeneous Catalysis.

Heterogeneous catalysis involves both adsorption as well as intermediate compound formation. Reactant
molecule gets adsorbed on the activation centre of the surface of the catalyst. These combine to form an
activated complex which is an intermediate compound. This compound decomposes to give products.

As soon as the products formed these get desorbed from the surface without any lapse in time. The
heterogeneous catalysis involves initially adsorption of reactants on the surface of catalyst, Intermediate
compound formation, dissociating into a product.
 Example:

Hydrogenation of ethene into ethane in the surface of the nickel.

 Ether and hydrogen molecules are adsorbed on the surface of the catalyst.
 Hydrogen occupies most of the activation centre and is known as occlusion.
 Ethane molecule attack at its double bond region to form an activated complex.
 Ether reacts with active hydrogen to form ethane.
 This ethane gets desorbed on the surface of the catalyst.

Homogeneous Catalysis
The catalysis in which the catalyst employed in the reaction and the reactants
are in the same state of matter, that process is referred to as homogeneous catalysis.

Mechanism of Homogeneous Catalysis

The homogeneous catalysis takes place by intermediate compound formatter theory.

Example:

Let us consider the oxidation of SO2 into SO3 by the lead chamber process. In this nitric oxide gas is the
catalyst.

This NO reacts with SO2 to form SO2 and “NO2” as an intermediate compound.

2SO2(g)+O2(g)⟶NO(g)2SO3(g)

First step: Nitric oxide combines with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This NO2 acts as an
intermediate compound, which reacts with SO2 to form sulphur trioxide and NO

2NO(g) + O2(g) → 2NO2(g) Intermediate compound

2SO2 + 2NO2 → 2SO3(g) + 2NO(g)

Autocatalysis

In the autocatalytic reaction, there is no specific catalyst that is added. Instead, one of the products acts
as a catalyst and increases the rate of formation of products.

Example :

Decomposition of Arsene (AsH3) is formed by the Arsenic formed in the reactor is “autocatalyst”.

2As H3 → 2As + 3H2

Catalysis, Activation Energy & Exergonic and Endergonic Reactions

Endergonic Reactions:

An endergonic reaction refers to a chemical reaction in which energy is being used in the overall
reaction, making the reaction non-spontaneous and thermodynamically unfavorable. Energy is being
absorbed as the reaction proceeds, and there is a net loss of energy in the surrounding system.

Endergonic reactions require an input of

energy, usually larger than those of non
spontaneous exergonic reactions, from an
outside source to disturb the chemical
equilibrium to cause changes, such as bond
formation. This input of energy is called the
activation energy. In certain reactions, a
catalyst is available to speed up endergonic
reactions. A catalyst can lower the activation
energy barrier for the reaction. Thus, it
speeds up the reaction process. The energy
for an endergonic reaction is obtained by
coupling the reaction with an exergonic
reaction.
Exergonic reaction

An exergonic reaction refers to a reaction where energy is released. Because the reactants lose energy (G
decreases), Gibbs free energy (ΔG) is negative under constant temperature and pressure

. These reactions usually do not require energy to

proceed, and therefore occur spontaneously. In a
chemical reaction, breaking and forming bonds
between atoms is a form of energy. Since chemical
reactions mainly consist of forming and/or breaking
chemical bonds, exergonic reactions release energy
by breaking less stable chemical bonds and forming
more stable bonds. However, some exergonic
reactions do not occur spontaneously and require a
small input of energy to start the reaction. This
input of energy is called activation energy. Once
the activation energy requirement is fulfilled by an
outside source, the reaction proceeds to break bonds
and form new bonds and energy is released as the
reaction takes place. This results in a net gain in
energy in the surrounding system, and a net loss in
energy from the reaction system.
Reference
https://byjus.com/jee/catalyst/

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Structural_Biochemistry/Exergonic_reaction

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Structural_Biochemistry/Endergonic_reaction#/media/File:Endergonic

https://opentextbc.ca/chemistry/chapter/12-7-catalysis/

https://www.siyavula.com/read/science/grade-12/rate-and-extent-of-reaction/07-rate-and-extent-of-reaction-04
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