Physical properties

 SO2 is colorless gas.

 It is highly soluble in water.

 It is heavier than air.

 It is liquefied at -10 ºC and solidified at -76 ºC.

Chemical properties

1.Thermal decomposition: SO2 is decomposed into SO3 and

S at 1200 ºC.

1200 ºC
3SO2 2SO3 + S
2. Acidic nature: SO2 dissolves in water to give sulphurous acid.
SO2 + H2O H2SO3

Sulphurous acid is diprotic acid (dibasic acid). It undergoes ionization

in two steps.
H2SO3 H+ + HSO3 -
bisulphite ion

HSO3 - H+ + SO3 --
sulphite ion

Following reaction supports acidic nature of aqueous SO2 .

a. It reacts with base to form salt and water.
H2SO3 + NaOH NaHSO
Sodium +
bisulphite
3 H2O

H2SO3 + 2NaOH Na SO
Sodium sulphite
2 3 + H2 O
3. Reducing properties: Aqueous solution of SO2 acts as a reducing
agent because it supply nascent hydrogen and itself oxidized into
H2SO4 .
SO2 + 2H2O H2SO4 + 2[H]
Or, accepts nascent oxygen and itself oxidized into H2SO4 .
SO2 + H2O + [O] H2SO4
a. It reduces halogens into halogen acid

Cl2 + H2O 2HCl + [O]

SO2 + H2O + [O] H2SO4
Cl2 + SO2 + 2H2O 2HCl + H2SO4
b. It reduces acidified potassium permanganate, where pink color of KMnO4 is
discharged.

2KMnO4 + 3H2SO4 K2SO4 +2MnSO4 +3H2O + 5[O]

SO2 + H2O + [O] H2SO4 ] x 5
+7 +4 +2 +6
2KMnO4 + 2H2O + 5 SO2 K2SO4 + 2MnSO4 + 2H2SO4
pink colorless

c. It reduces acidified K2Cr2O7 solution. Orange color of K2Cr2O7 is changed into

green.

K2Cr2O7 + 4H2SO4 K2SO4 + Cr2(SO4)3 + 4H2O + 3[O]

SO2 + H2O + [O] H2SO4 ] x 3
+6 +3

Korang
2Cr2O7 + H2SO4 + 3SO2 K2SO4 + Cr2green
(SO4)3 + H2O
e
d. It reduces ferric salt to ferrous salt in which the color changes from yellow to
light green.
SO2 + 2H2O H2SO4 + 2[H]
FeCl3 + [H] FeCl2 + HCl ] x 2
SO2 + 2H2O + 2FeCl3 H2SO4 + 2FeCl2 + 2HCl
yello Light green
w
Or
SO2 + 2H2O H2SO4 + 2[H]
Fe2(SO4)3 + 2[H] 2FeSO4 + H2SO4
Fe 2(SO4)3 + SO2 + 2H2O
yello Light2FeSO
green 4 + 2H2SO4
w
e. It reduces potassium iodate solution to I2 .

2KIOiodate
Potassium 3 + 5SO2 + 4H2O I2 + 2KHSO4 + 3H2SO4
4. Oxidizing properties: SO2 also acts as oxidizing agent. SO2 bears +4
oxidation state on Sulphur. It is intermediate oxidation state between
highest and lowest of sulphur. That is why in some cases, SO2 behaves as
oxidizing agent while in some other cases it behaves as reducing agent.

Following reaction justify the oxidizing property of sulphur dioxide.

a. SO2 oxidizes H2S to sulphur.

2H2S + SO2 2H2O + 3S

b. SO2 oxidizes iron to iron oxide.

2Fe + SO2 2FeO + S

c. SO2 oxidizes HI to I2.

4HI + SO2 S + 2H2O+2I2
5. Unsaturation nature of SO2 (addition reaction): Oxidation state of S in
SO2 is +4. Its highest oxidation state is +6. Therefore it has further
capacity to increase the oxidation state. That is why SO2 forms addition
product.
Light

SO2 + Cl2 Sulphuryl

SO Clchloride
2 2

PbO2 + SO2 PbSO4

6. Bleaching property: Formation of colorless product from colored

substance is called bleaching. SO2 shows bleaching action in two ways.

a. By reduction: In presence of moisture, SO2 gives nascent hydrogen and

this nascent hydrogen bleaches the coloring matter to the colorless reduced
product.
 SO2 + 2H2O H2SO4 + 2[H]

coloring matter + [H] colorless reduced product

If the colorless reduced product is exposed to air, the original color is

regenerated. This shows that bleaching action of SO2 is temporary and
reversible. Aerial oxidation
Colorless reduced product Reduced by SO2
coloring
matter

b. By formation of addition product: In some cases bleaching action of

SO2 is due to the formation of colorless addition product with coloring
matters.

Colouring matter (A) + SO2 colourless addition

product(SO2A)
 If the bleached product is treated with dil. H2SO4, the
compound decomposes and liberates SO2 gas. Then
original colour of matter restored.
H2SO4
Colourless addition product (SO2A) Colouring matter
(A)
Comparison of bleaching action of SO2 and Cl2:
Sulphur dioxide Chlorine
1. The bleaching action of SO2 is due to 1. The bleaching action of Cl2 is due to
reduction or addition product formation. oxidation reaction.
2. Action with moisture takes place as 2. Action with moisture takes place as
follows. follows.
SO2 + 2H2O H2SO4 +2 [H] Cl2+ H2O 2HCl + [O]
This nascent hydrogen reduces the This nascent oxygen oxidizes coloring
coloring matter into colorless matter. matter into colorless matter.
3. The bleaching action of SO2 is 3. The bleaching action of Cl2 is
temporary. permanent.
4. The reduced product regains its original 4. No regain of original color when
color when exposed to air. exposed to air.

5. SO2 is mild bleaching agent. 5. Cl2 is strong bleaching agent.

Uses of SO2 :

 It is used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, sulphurous acid etc.

 It is used for bleaching delicate articles like silk, starch, straw, wool,
hair etc.

 It is used as bleaching agent in sugar industry for decoloring cane sugar

solution.

 It is used as fungicide and preservative of food.