NAME: Junior Nkosi Student #: 4228521 Module: CHM 211

PRACTICAL 3: Copper complexes (Preparation of copper sulphate)

Aim
It is to prepare tetraamine copper(II) sulphate while observing the bonding strength
between copper sulphate and ammonia and during the experiment remove water from
copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate.

Introduction
Transitional metal complexes are widely used in different industries. These complexes are
mainly molecules from group five that are around a central metal ion and transitional metal
to be exact. Copper is one of the transitional elements that form complexes. This is because
copper has different oxidation levels which means it could donate more than one electron or
share electrons forming a covalent bond. Copper forms the complex called tetraamine
copper(II) sulphate which is a combination of ammonia and copper sulphate. And ammonia
has a group of 5 elements which are nitrogen has a relatively high electronegativity and
ionisation energy. Also, nitrogen is more stable in ammonia because it is in the third
oxidation state which makes it easy to prepare and easy to liquefy.
This complex is a dark blue solid used to print fabrics, used to create other copper
compounds like copper nano-powder, etc.

Results
In this experiment, the copper sulphate is added to water dissolving completely into a light
blue solution and after the addition of ammonia, it turned into a dark blue solution. To make
it a precipitate, ethyl alcohol. After that, it was dry and weighed
NUMBER OF MOLES OF REACTANTS
n(CuSO4) = m/M
= 2.5g / 159.6 g/mol
= 0.016 moles
c(NH3) = n /v
15mol/L= n / 0.013L
n(NH3) = 0.195 mol
n(H2O) = 13 ml H2O × 1g H2O/1ml H2O × 1 mol H2O/18.02g
=0.72 mol
Identifying limiting reagent
Ratio based on balanced equation - CuSO4 : NH3 : H2O - 1:4:1
Moles Reaction - 0.016 : 0.195 : 0.72
Molar ratio of CuSO4 = O.016 / 0.016 = 1
Molar ratio of NH3 = 0.195 / 0.016 = 12.19
Molar ratio of H2O = 0.72 / 0.016 = 45
CuSO4 is the limiting reagent which means it reacts completely
Theoretical yield
= 0.016 mol of CuSO4 × 1mol Cu(NH3)4SO4*H2O / 1 mol CuSO4 × 245.75g Cu(NH3)4SO4*H2O/ 1
mol of Cu(NH3)4SO4*H2O
= 3.93 g of Cu(NH3)4SO4*H2O
Actual yield
Mass of filter paper and product – mass of filter paper
= 3.8g – 0.3 g
= 3.5 g
Percentage yield = actual yield/ theoretical yield = 3.5 / 9.93 = 89.01%

Discussion and conclusion

Reaction 1 : The water reacted completely with copper sulphate forming light blue solution
as it dissociated.
CuSO4(s) + H2O(L) → CuSO4*H2O(Aq)
Reaction 2
[Cu(H2O)4]SO4*H2O(aq) + 4NH3(aq) → [Cu(H2O)2(OH)2]SO4*H2O(aq) + 2NH4+(aq)
Reaction 3
[Cu(H2O)2(OH)2]SO4*H2O(aq) + 2NH4+ +2NH3(aq) → [Cu(NH3)4]SO4*H2O(aq) + 4H2O(l)
Reaction 4
[Cu(H2O)4]SO4*H2O(aq) + 4NH3(aq) → [Cu(NH3)4]SO4*H2O(aq) + 4H2O(l)
Reaction 2, 3 and 4 is the reaction between ammonia and copper sulphate as they share
bonds and form covalent bonds among they also show a colour change. In the addition of
ethyl alcohol, the solution became a dark blue insoluble substance. The colour change is
very much valuable as it represents that the reaction has occurred and the reaction shows
high bonding strength as it formed a homogenous mixture. And it was dried and then
weighed and unfortunately, the mass obtained was lower than the theoretical or calculated
mass this could be because the reaction must be incomplete or mass loss during filtering or
pouring. Water that was in excess was removed.
Assignment
1. a) Hexamine chromium(III) chloride
b) Potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate cobaltate dihydrate
c) Trans-dichlorobis(ethylenediamine)nickel(III)
d) Tetrapyridineplatinium(II) tetrachloridoplatinate(II)
e) Chloropentamminecobalt chloride
2. [Cr(NH3)2(OH)]NO3*3H2O
3. It is because ammonia is more soluble

References
Kerrod, R., 1991. Chemistry today. 3 ed. Chicago: World book, Inc..