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Author: Subject: NaOH from Magnesium hydroxide?
kyanite
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[*] posted on 28-11-2004 at 08:15
NaOH from Magnesium hydroxide?


Quick question:

2NaCl + Mg(OH)2 ==> 2NaOH + MgCl2

because of electronegativity, right?




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BromicAcid
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[*] posted on 28-11-2004 at 08:20


A major point to bring up here is that magnesium hydroxide is fairly insoluble, so any such reaction would be exceedingly slow. In addition if it did work then the magnesium chloride in solution would precipitate from the sodium hydroxide. Since there is no driving force toward you product side (the anions and cations have no loyalties, a solution of hydroxide and chloride end up going with whatever they end up with unless there is some driving force such as precipitation which in this case would favor the reactant side.) this reaction will not occur to any appreciable extent.

Edit: If you were not refering to this reaction in the aqueous phase then by heating magnesium hydroxide and sodium chloride together you would end up with magnesium oxide and sodium chloride unless your temperatures were incredibly hot.

[Edited on 11/28/2004 by BromicAcid]




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kyanite
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sad.gif posted on 28-11-2004 at 08:31


Hah, I knew there must be a catch.:(

So let me see if I've learned anything:
So even if I found a solvent that disolves magnesium hydroxide, it'll probably also disolve MgCl2, and thus theres no driving force...

By the way, I was infact wodering about the aqueous phase. The MSDS had said that hydroxide goes back to oxide with heat




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