In the Classroom

edited by
Todd P. Silverstein
Willamette University
Salem, Oregon 97301

Metals in Metal Salts: A Copper Mirror

The presence of metal within an ionic metal salt is usually held with a metal clamp. The flask is heated with swirling over
taken as an assumption in high school and college chemical a Meeker burner or propane torch flame for about 2 min. It
education. Several laboratory experiments that demonstrate or should be cooled appropriately (e.g., on a wire gauze) before
even quantify the content of metal within metal compounds handling. Once the flask is cool, a cork ring is useful for dis-
have been published in this Journal (1-6). In addition, there are playing the flask.
a variety of high school- and college-level experiments involving The bright copper mirror can be removed with nitric acid.
the redox chemistry of copper in pennies (7, 8). However, none The nitric acid waste should be neutralized (e.g., with NaHCO3)
of these experiments is readily amenable to a simple lecture before disposal, which should be carried out in accordance with
demonstration that can accompany initial discussions of ionic local regulations for metal-containing wastes.
compounds. Consideration of ionic substances is important in
both high school- and college-level introductory chemistry Hazards
courses. Cations in all common ionic compounds, except am-
Safety goggles or a face shield, latex gloves and a lab coat
monium salts, are metal ions. Demonstration of the latent
should be worn. Heated glass surfaces can cause burns and should
presence of metal within a salt via reduction of the metal cation
be cooled for at least 10 min before handling. Glassware should
affords a visual touchstone for this important concept.
be inspected carefully prior to heating it to avoid possible stress
A convenient method for the reduction of metal salts would
fracturing. The liberation of CO is potentially dangerous but the
involve an anion that easily undergoes reductive elimination,
CO is spontaneously combusted during the experiment. Although
involve a readily reducible metal ion, and produce a readily
a fume hood is not necessary, care should be taken not to breathe
identifiable metallic residue. All of these characteristics are
the gases liberated during the experiment. A small amount of metal
fulfilled by the use of copper(II) formate tetrahydrate. The
oxide fume is evident during the reaction; however, these fumes are
thermal decomposition of this salt is
relatively heavy and do not pose a significant inhalation hazard, so
CuðO2 CHÞ2 3 4H2 OðsÞ f CuðsÞ þ 5H2 OðgÞ þ CO2 ðgÞ þ COðgÞ long as the flask is kept well away from the demonstrator's face. A
ð1Þ fire extinguisher should be readily available for this demonstration.
Goggles, gloves, and a fume hood should be used when handling
The formation of a copper mirror from copper(II) formate as nitric acid during cleanup, because nitric acid is corrosive and its
described in eq 1 was first reported in 1947 (9); copper mirrors reduction by copper produces hazardous NO2 gas.
generated under inert atmosphere have been used as high-
surface-area reducing agents for organic reactions (10). A related Discussion
demonstration has been reported in a relatively obscure German-
language journal (11). In the lecture demonstration, copper(II) formate is decom-
posed in a round-bottom flask using the heat from a Meeker
Materials burner. During the reaction, which takes about 2 min with
continuous swirling, the blue-green copper compound first
Copper(II) formate tetrahydrate
becomes a royal blue color, then liquefies and effervesces with
250 mL Borosilicate glass round-bottom flask
the release of the hydration water. Suddenly, the residue becomes
Three-prong clamp (without vinyl or rubber sleeves)
dark as the metal is liberated. At about the same time, the gas
Meeker burner and gas supply
evolved will usually support a small green flame above the neck of
Spatula
the flask. The flame is presumably due to the combustion of
Wire gauze
carbon monoxide, but the green color is associated with copper-
Cork ring
(II) ions (begging a discussion of fireworks colorants). The flame
Safety goggles or face shield
can be blown out and will spontaneously reignite, amusingly.
Disposable gloves
Soon thereafter, a high-quality copper mirror develops on the
Nitric acid (for cleanup)
inside surface of the flask. Given the unique color of copper
A fire extinguisher should be readily available during any demon-
metal, the highly reflective mirror is readily identifiable as copper.
stration involving flames
The mirror that is produced will behave as would any fresh
Preparation and Presentation preparation of copper. For example, it can be converted to a blue
solution of Cu(NO3)2 by treatment with HNO3, and then
Approximately 3 g of Cu(O2CH)2 3 4H2O are placed in a to Cu(OH)2, CuO, CuSO4 solution, and back to Cu in the
very clean 250 mL borosilicate round-bottom flask that is well-known copper cycle laboratory sequence (12). Depending

_ _ _
1062 Journal of Chemical Education Vol. 87 No. 10 October 2010 [Link]/jchemeduc r 2010 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
10.1021/ed1000075 Published on Web 08/30/2010
 In the Classroom

on the makeup of the audience, it might be appropriate to discuss 2. O'Klatner, B. L.; Rabinovich, D. J. Chem. Educ. 2000, 77, 251–252.
the fact that copper, along with its congeners silver and gold, is a 3. Osella, D.; Ravera, M.; Soave, C.; Scorza, S. J. Chem. Educ. 2002,
relatively noble metal. As such, copper(II) is reduced to the metal 79, 343–344.
with relative ease 4. Sanger, M. J.; Geer, K. J. Chem. Educ. 2002, 79, 994–996.
Cu2þ þ 2e - f Cu ΔE ¼ þ 0:34 V ð2Þ 5. Sago, S. G. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 530–531.
6. Yee, G. T.; Eddleton, J. E.; Johnson, C. E. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81,
Copper is sometimes mined in pure (“native”) form. The world's 1777–1779.
largest deposits of native copper were mined from upper 7. Rosenhein, L. D. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78, 514–515.
Michigan in the 19th and early 20th centuries. 8. Thomas, N. C.; Faulk, S. J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 817–818.
9. Korosy, F. Nature 1947, 160, 21.
Acknowledgment 10. Pike, R. D.; Starnes, W. H., Jr.; Jeng, J. P.; Bryant, W. S.; Kourtesis,
This work was supported by the National Science Founda- P.; Adams, C. W.; Bunge, S. D.; Kang, Y. M.; Kim, A. S.; Kim, J. H.;
tion under CHE-0848109. Grateful acknowledgement is also Macko, J. A.; O'Brien, C. P. Macromolecules 1997, 30, 6957–6965.
made to the donors of the American Chemical Society Petro- 11. Weissenhorn, R. G. Prax. Naturwiss., Chem. 1990, 39, 38.
leum Research Fund (44891-B3). Dean J. Campbell (Depart- 12. Postma, J. M.; Roberts, J. L.; Hollenberg, J. L. Chemistry in the
ment of Chemistry at Bradley University) is thanked for check- Laboratory, 6th ed.; W. H. Freeman: New York, 2004; Expt. 5.
ing this demonstration.
Supporting Information Available
Literature Cited
A video of the demonstration. This material is available via the
1. Sheeran, D. J. Chem. Educ. 1998, 75, 453–456. Internet at hiip://[Link].

_ _ _
r 2010 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc. [Link]/jchemeduc Vol. 87 No. 10 October 2010 Journal of Chemical Education 1063