1.

Although the chemical formulae of Prussian blue and Turnbull's blue are different yet these are supposed to be identical. How is it justified?

Answer»

Solution :When a ferric salt reacts with POTASSIUM ferrocyanide, Prusian blue is formed.
`4FeCl_(3)+3K_(4)[Fe(CN)_(6)]to Fe_(4)[Fe(CN)_(6)]_(3)+12 KCl`.
Turnbull's blue is formed as a deep blue precipitate when a ferrous salt reacts with potassium ferricyanide.
`3FeCl_(2)+2K_(3)[Fe(CN)_(6)]toFe_(3)[Fe(CN)_(6)]_(2)+6 KCl`.
Other investigations like `X-`ray, have shown that these two compounds Viz.,
Pussian blue and Turnbull's blue are the same. When either of the reactions given above is performed, a redox reaction also TAKES place partially:
`{:(Fe^(3+)+[Fe"(CN)_(6)]^(4-) to Fe^(2+)+[Fe"'(CN)_(6)]^(3-)),(Fe^(2+)+[Fe"'(CN)_(6)]^(3-) to Fe^(3+)+[Fe"(CN)_(6)]^(4-)):}`
So, in both the cases, the compounds have a mixture of `Fe^(2+),Fe^(3+),[Fe(CN)_(6)]^(4-)` and `[Fe(CN)_(6)]^(3-)`. Therefore, we WRITE Prussian and Turnbull's blue as
`Fe[Fe(CN)_(6)]^(-)`. This can be DUE to `Fe^(2+)` and `[Fe'''(CN)_(6)]^(3-)` or due to `Fe^(3+)` and `[Fe"(CN)_(6)]^(4-)`.


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