Catalytic Properties

Question

Transition metals and their compounds are widely used as catalysts in industry; which property is chiefly responsible for their catalytic activity?

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

The catalytic ability of transition metals and their compounds is largely due to two related features. First, their variable oxidation states allow them to accept and donate electrons readily, enabling them to participate in and accelerate redox reactions by providing alternative low-energy pathways. Second, they can form unstable intermediate compounds or adsorb reactant molecules on their surfaces using partially filled d-orbitals, which brings reactants together in favourable orientations. For example, iron catalyses the Haber process and vanadium pentoxide catalyses the Contact process. The option of low melting points is incorrect, as transition metals generally have high melting points. The option of colourless ions is false and unrelated to catalysis. The option of low density is wrong, since transition metals are typically dense. This basis of catalytic behaviour is a standard NCERT d-block property. Plausibility check: the use of iron, nickel, and vanadium catalysts in major industrial redox processes directly reflects their variable oxidation states, confirming the answer.

Catalytic Properties

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