• It is the element with confusing position in the

periodic table, as it resembles both I-A and VII-A

group elements.
• Hydrogen should belong to the s-block as its
electron configuration is 1s1.
The properties in which hydrogen resembles
alkali metals are
a) like alkali metals it has one electron in s-orbital
of valence shell
b) Like alkali metals, it forms H+ ion
c) Like alkali metals, it forms monoxide and
peroxides (H2O and H2O2)

d) Like alkali metals, it acts as reductant (a

reducing agent)
Difference from halogens:-
1) Less tendency for hydride formation:
• Hydrogen has less tendency to take up
electron to form hydride ion (H-) as compared
to the halogens which from halide ions (X -)
very easily.
2) Absence of unshared pairs of electrons
3) Nature of oxides:
• The oxides of halogens are acidic while
hydrogen oxide is neutral.
Occurrence of Hydrogen:
•*Hydrogen is the most abundant element in
the universe and
•the third most abundant on the surface of
the globe, is being visualized as the major
future source of energy
• The properties in which Hydrogen resembles
Halogens are

a) Like Halogens it exists as diatomic molecule (H2)

b) Like Halogens it gains one electron to attain inert

gas configuration
c) The I.E value of "H" is similar to that of Halogens
d) Like halogens it forms univalent anion i.e H– .
• The ionization enthalpy of H–H bond is very high
(1312 kJmol–1)
• This indicates that hydrogen has a low tendency
to form H+ ions.
• Its ionization enthalpy value is comparable to that
of halogens. Hence, it forms

– diatomic molecules (H2),

– hydrides with . elements, and

– a large number of covalent bonds.
• Since ionization enthalpy is very high,
hydrogen does not possess metallic
characteristics. Like
• luster,
• ductility,
• Malleability etc. like metals.
• All the isotopes of Hydrogen have

:a) same chemical properties; b) same atomic

radii and c) same bond lengths.
• The isotopes of Hydrogen differ widely due to
large difference in mass numbers.
a) Number of neutrons ; b) Chemical reactivity;
c) Physical properties; d) Nuclear radii and
e) Bond energy
• The properties or physical constants which
are lower for hydrogen than that of deuterium
are
i) Molecular weight;
ii) Boiling point;
iii) Melting point;
iv) Bond energy and
v) Activation energy.
Reactivity

• What does it mean to be reactive?

• Elements that are reactive bond easily with
other elements to make compounds
• Some elements are only found in nature
bonded with other elements.
• What makes an element reactive?
• An incomplete valence electron level
Reactivity
• Chemical reactivity is higher for hydrogen than
that of Deuterium.

• On electrolysis of water, H2 is released six times

faster than that of D2.

• The radioactive isotope of Hydrogen is Tritium

• .As the mass number increases the chemical
reactivity decreases. So chemically least reactive
isotope of Hydrogen is Tritium.
Reactivity
• It is a beta emitter and its half life is 12.6 years

• 1 T3
→ 2 He3+
+ 1 e 0
(β - particle)

• Tritium is harmless, as it emits only low energetic

β-radiation and will not emit harmful γ-rays.
• In the study of mechanism of various chemical
reactions, Deuterium and Tritium are used as
tracers.
Production of hydrogen
• Lab scale - zinc and dil HCl

Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) → ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)

• Industrial large scale

 Reaction of steam on hydrocarbons or coke at
high temperatures in the presence of catalyst
yields hydrogen.
• The mixture of CO and H2 is called water
gas
• The production of dihydrogen can be
increased by reacting carbon monoxide of
Syngas (synthesis gas) mixtures with
steam in the presence of iron chromate as
catalyst.
• Note, not very “green”
• High purity hydrogen can be prepared by
the electrolysis of aqueous KOH
• At cathode(Reduction)

• 2H2O + 2e-  2OH-(aq) + H2(g)

• At anode (Oxidation)

• 2OH- ½ O2(g) + H2O(aq) + 2e-

Uses of Hydrogen

• i) in the manufacture of chemicals

• ii) in metallurgy
• Hydrogen is used as a reducing agent in the
extraction of heavier metals like
Molybdenum and Tungsten.

WO3 + 3H2  W + 3H2O

• iii) as a source of atomic energy

• iv) as a fuel.
The heat of combustion of H2 gas is high (242
KJ/mole). Hence it is used as an industrial fuel.
a) Synthesis of Ammonia by Haber's process.

N2(g) + 3H2(g)  2NH3(g)

b) Preparation of HCl

c) Synthesis of Methyl alcohol

d) In the production of Margarine.
Hydrides

• The binary compounds of hydrogen with other

elements are called hydrides.

• The hydrides have the formula MHx or (MmHn)

These are formed by

;i) all main group elements except the noble gases.
ii) All lanthanides and Actinides.
iii) Transition elements such as Sc, Y, La, Ac, Tc, Zr,
Hf and to lesser extent V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Cu and Zn
• On the basis of their physical and chemical
properties and types of bonding hydride
are classified into the following four types:

1) Ionic hydrides (or) saline hydrides.

2) Covalent (or) molecular hydrides.

3) Metallic (or) Interstitial hydrides.

4) Polymeric hydrides.
Ionic hydrides
• These are formed by elements of group IA, IIA
(except Be and Mg) and lanthanides by heating
the metal in hydrogen.
Ionic hydrides

• These are white colourless solids (crystalline)

having high melting point and boiling point
easily decomposed by water, alcohol, CO2 (or)

SO2•

• Except LiH. all ionic hydrides decompose at

400°C-500°C (on strong heating) into their
constituent elements.
Ionic hydrides

• Hydrogen compounds of high

electropositive metals may be regarded as
the metal hydride.
• The density of these hydrides is greater
than that of the metal from which they are
formed.
• These ionic hydrides are stoichiometric and
have high heats of formation
Ionic hydrides

• Electrolysis of these molten hydrides

produce hydrogen gas at anode.

2H-(molten) ⎯⎯→ H2(g) ↑ + 2e–

• This reaction provides chemical evidence

for the presence of H– in these hydrides•
• This type of hydrides are formed only by
elements with electronegativity value that
is less than 2.1.
Ionic hydrides

• Thermal stability of ionic hydride decreases

with increasing size of cations
LiH > NaH > KH > RbH > CsH

CaH2 > SrH2 > BaH2

USES OF IONIC HYDRIDES
• Metal hydrides are used in laboratory to
remove traces of water from solvents and
inert gases such as N2 and Ar

• Alkali metal hydrides are used to prepare

other hydride compounds Like- LiAlH4,

NaBH4 etc

• Since they evolve hydrogen when heated

and therefore ignite spontaneously they are
used as solid fuels.
 COVALENT OR MOLECULAR HYDRIDES

• :Molecular hydrides are soft, have low melting

point and low boiling point
• Molecular hydrides are volatile in nature have
low electrical conductivity.
• These hydrides are formed by the
combination of elements of higher
electronegatively as p-block elements. (IIIA to
VIIA groups)
 COVALENT OR MOLECULAR HYDRIDES

• Example: NH3, HCl, CH4, H2O, HF, B2H6, AsH3

• Their molecular formula can be written as

MHn (or) MH8–n,

• n = group number of element in short form of

periodic table.
• The molecular hydrides are classified into three
categories.
Electron – precise compounds:
• In these compounds all the electrons of the atom
are involved in bond formation.

Example CH4 (methane), C2H6 (ethane)

Electron – deficient compounds:

• In these compounds the available number of
valence electrons are less than the number
required for covalent bond formation

Example B2H6
 Electron - rich compounds:
• In these compounds the valence electrons on the
central atom are more than that are required for
bond formation. i.e. lone pair present on the
central atom. Example NH3, H2O

• The bonds present in this hydrides are mostly

covalent in character
• Covalent hydrides like HF, HCl are partly ionic in
nature
• The molecules are held together by weak van der
Waal’s forces and hence have low melting point
METALLIC HYDRIDES

• These are interstitial compounds as the hydrogen

atom occupy interstitial position in the metal
lattices.
• This is due to small size of hydrogen atoms
compared to metal atom
• The finely divided metals obtained by thermal
decomposition of these hydrides are used as
catalyst and in metallurgy.
METALLIC HYDRIDES
• Most of the d-block elements and f block
elements form metallic hydrides on reacting with
hydrogen

Example CrH, CrH2, ZnH2

• Be and Mg of s-block and aluminum also form

metallic hydrides
• Metallic hydrides are normally prepared by
heating the metal with hydrogen under high
pressure.
• Most of the metallic hydrides are metallic
METALLIC HYDRIDES
• Metallic hydrides are hard, have metallic lustre and
have magnetic properties
• The density of these hydrides is less than that of
the parent elements
• Metallic hydrides exhibit metallic properties and are
powerful reducing agents.
• Metallic hydrides are non-stoichiometric compounds
and their composition varies with temperature and
pressure.
• In these hydrogen exist in the atomic rather than
 POLYMERIC HYDRIDES
• These are solids containing molecules linked together
in two (or) three dimensions by hydrogen bridge
bonds.

• (BeH2)n, (MgH2)n and (AlH3)n

• H2O2 is also known as oxygenated water

• [O-O]2- bond is known as Peroxy bond.

• H2O2 is a weak dibasic acid. Its molecular weight is 34

and its equivalent weight is 17.• Substances
containing peroxy linkage are H2O2, Na2O2, BaO2,
The structure of H2O2
• In the solid (crystalline) phase, H2O2 has an open
book structure of H as shown
• The H – O – O bond angle is 101o
• The dihedral angle is 90o
• The O - O bond length is 1.48 Å and the O - H is
0.97 Å.
• In liquid and solid states the bond lengths and bond
angles are slightly changed due to hydrogen
bonding.

• In crystalline H2O2 the dihedral angle is reduced to

Uses Of H2O2

• As bleaching agent for textiles, silk, wool, wood

pulp etc.

• Mixture of H2O2 and hydrazine is used as rocket

fuel.
• To restore color of old oil paints

• As Oxidizing agent:

• Mixture of H2O2 and NH3 solution is used to bleach

human hair into golden yellow color.
Reactivity

• On long standing or on heating H2O2 undergoes

decomposition
• The equation for the decomposition is

2H2O2 → 2H2O + O2

• The substances which retard the decomposition

of H2O2 are; Acetanilide, Glycerol, Alcohol, H3PO4
etc.
• They act as negative catalysts.
• They are known as inhibitors (or) stabilisers
Reactivity

• Alkalies, silica, MnO2, metals (Fe, Mn), graphite,

alumina etc. catalyse the decomposition of H2O2.

• Dilute aqueous solution of H2O2 is fairly stable in

acid Medium of alcohol or ester. Alkaline.
Precautions to be taken in storing H2O2.
a) The glass bottle must have wax coating on the inner
side, so that the surface is smooth
b) Plastic bottles are preferred to glass bottles. It is
because the Na2O in glass being alkaline, catalyses

the decomposition of H2O2

c) A small quantity of acetanilide or urea is added as a

stabiliser