Disulfuric acid

Disulfuric acid
Names
IUPAC name
Disulfuric acid [1]
Other names
Pyrosulfuric acid
Identifiers
7783-05-3 Yes
ChEBI CHEBI:29211 Yes
ChemSpider 56433 Yes
EC number 231-976-8
Jmol-3D images Image
Image
Image
MeSH Pyrosulfuric+acid
PubChem 62682
Properties
Molecular formula
H2O7S2
Molar mass 178.14 g·mol−1
Melting point 36 °C (97 °F; 309 K)
Except where noted otherwise, data is given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa)
 Yes verify (what is: Yes/?)
Infobox references

Disulfuric acid (or pyrosulfuric acid) is an oxoacid of sulfur. It is a major constituent of fuming sulfuric acid, oleum, and this is how most chemists encounter it. It is also a minor constituent of liquid anhydrous sulfuric acid due to the equilibria:

H2SO4 ⇌ H2O + SO3
SO3 + H2SO4 ⇌ H2S2O7

The acid is prepared by reacting excess SO3 with sulfuric acid:

H2SO4 + SO3 H2S2O7

Disulfuric acid can be seen as the sulfuric acid analogue of an acid anhydride. The mutual electron-withdrawing effects of each sulfuric acid unit on its neighbour causes a marked increase in acidity. Disulfuric acid is strong enough to protonate "normal" sulfuric acid in the (anhydrous) sulfuric acid solvent system. There are salts of disulfuric acid, commonly called pyrosulfates, e.g. potassium pyrosulfate.

There are other related acids with the general formula H2O·(SO3)x though none are isolable.

See also

References

  1. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (2005). Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 2005). Cambridge (UK): RSCIUPAC. ISBN 0-85404-438-8. p. 130. Electronic version.