Hydrogen Sulphide

Preparation from Kipp’s apparatus:

For analytical purposes H2S gas is required
intermittently in the laboratory in small
quantities. Kipp's apparatus is used for this
purpose. It consists of two parts:
i. Bulb A with a long stem, and
ii. The base with two communicating bulbs B
and C.
The stem of the bulb A reaches the bottom of
C and is placed into the neck of B.
Fig: Kipps apparatus of H2S gas supply
Working Principle of H2S by Kipps apparatus :
Pieces of iron sulphide (FeS) are introduced into the
central bulb 'B' and dil.H2SO4 poured into the
upper bulb A till the pieces of FeS are just
covered by the acid with the tap open. The acid
reacts with FeS producing H2S gas. When the tap
is closed, the gas evolves for a while and very
soon the pressure developed in the central bulb
forces the acid up into the upper bulb A, resulting
breaking of the contact between the acid and
FeS. The gas ceases to evolve until the tap is
opened again.
FeS + dil. H2SO4 FeSO4 + H2S
Properties of H2S :
Physical properties:
1. Colourless gas with rotten egg smell.
2. Soluble in water
3. Heavier than air and has vapour density 17
4. Poisonous gas which can causes headache and
dizziness.
5. M.pt. -850C and b. Pt. -610C. Due to the low m.pt
and b.pt. , it cannot be easily liquified and
solidified.
Chemical properties
1. Action of heat: when H2S gas is heated above 4000 C, it gives Sulphur and
hydrogen. Above 17000 C, it completely dissociates.
H2S H2 + S
2. Combustion :
H2S is combustible but not support the combustion. It burns with air with blue
flame when excess oxygen is passed it gives SO2 gas.
H2S + O2 (excess) SO2
3. Acidic nature:
 H2S is weak diprotic acid. Aslo termed as hydrosulphuric acid. It ionised in two
steps.
H2S H+ + HS-
HS- H+ + S—
 H2S react with base gives two series of salt. This also justifies that H2S is a
diprotic acid.
KOH + H2S K2S + H2O
Potassium Sulphide

2 KOH + H2S (excess) KHS + 2H2O

Potassium bisulphide
 H2S cannot decompose carbonate salt bacause H2S is weaker than the carbonic
acid. H2S combines with metal oxide to form their respective sulphide.
CaO + H2S CaS + H2O
MgO + H2S Mgs + H2O
4. Reducing properties (H2S as a reducing agent)
• It is a good reducing agent which reduces other and itself get
oxidizes.
a) It reduces ferric salt to ferrous.
2FeCl3 + H2S 2FeCl2 + 2HCl + S
Fe2(SO4)3 +H2S FeSO4 + H2SO4 + S
b) It reduces halogens to corresponding halogen acids.
Cl2 +H2S HCl +S
Br2 +H2S HBr + S
c) It reduces acidified potassium permanganate solution(pink to
colorless)
2KMnO4 + 3H2SO4 K2SO4 + 2MnSO4 + 3H2O +5[O]
[H2S +[O] H2O + S] * 5

2KMnO4 + 3H2SO4 + 5H2S K2SO4 + 2MnSO4 + 8H2O + 5S

d) with K2Cr2O7 :
H2S reduces acidified potassium dichromate solution get discharge of
orange colour of potassium dichromate solution into light green colour
of chromium sulphate.

K2Cr2O7 +4H2SO4 + 3H2S K2SO4 + Cr2(SO4)3 + 7 H2O + 3S

e) with SO2 :
SO2is reduced to sulphur.
SO2 + H2S 2H2O + 3S
f) It reduces hydrogen peroxide to water.
H2O2 H2O + [O]
H2S + [O] H2O + S

H2O2 + H2S 2H2O + S

g) It reduces nitric acid to nitrogen peroxide and sulphuric acid to sulphur
dioxide.
2HNO3 + H2S 2H2O + 2NO2 + S
H2SO4 + H2S 2H2O + SO2 + S
5. Analytical reagent
H2S plays key role in the detection of basic radicals
by wet ways method.
a) For detection of group II (Cu2+, Bi3+, Cd2+, Hg2+,
As3+, Sb3+, Sn4+) basic radicals.
 These reaction can be done in acidic medium.
Pb+2 + H2S acidic medium PbS + 2H+
(black ppt)
2Bi+3 + 3H2S acidic medium Bi2S3 + 6H+
(brown ppt)
Cu+2 + H2S acidic medium CuS + 2H+
(black ppt)
b) For detection of group IIIB (Zn++ , Co++, Ni++,
Mn++ )basic radicals
 These reaction can be done in basic medium.
Zn++ + H2S Basic medium ZnS + 2H+
white ppt
Basic medium
Co++ + H2S CoS + 2H+
Black ppt.

Ni++ + H2S Basic medium NiS + 2H+

Black ppt.

Mn++ + H2S Basic medium MnS + 2H+

Flesh coloured ppt
Structure of H2S

Lewis Structure of H2S

Applications:
1. Used as reducing agent.
2. Used as analytical reagent in qualitative
analysis.
3. Used to prepare metallic sulphide which can
be used as pigment.
4. Used in the preparation of haloacids like
HBr,HI etc
 Assignments
• Why conc. H2SO4 can not be used for the preparation of H2S gas?
• Why H2S can not be collected by displacement of water?
• Why H2S is collected by displacement of air?
• Why H2S is prepared by using keep’s apparatus?
• How can you prepare H2S gas for qualitative analysis?
• What happens when H2S gas is passed through
– Ferric chloride solution
– Acidified KMnO4 solution
– Acidified potassium dichromate solution
– Copper sulphate solution in acidic medium
– Zinc sulphate solution in basic medium
• Why H2S gas is used as an analytical reagent or laboratory reagent?