Question

A three-step mechanism has been suggested for the formation of carbonyl chloride: Step 1: Cl2 → 2 Cl Step 2: Cl + CO → COCl Step 3: COCl + Cl2 → COCl2 + Cl Which species is an intermediate in the mechanism?

Answer 1

COCl species is an intermediate in the mechanism.

Step-by-step explanation:

Intermediates are those chemical species which only appears for a short time in a course of a chemical reaction. They act as product and reactant during the reaction. Also they do not appear in overall chemical reaction.

Step 1:
`Cl_2\rightarrow 2 Cl`

Step 2:
`Cl + CO\rightarrow COCl`

Step 3:
`COCl + Cl_2\rightarrow COCl_2 + Cl`

Overall reaction :

`2Cl_2+CO\rightarrow COCl_2+2Cl`

As we can see that all the chemicals are present in the overall reaction beside COCl.

COCl species is an intermediate in the mechanism.