Some important compounds of d-block:

Potassium dichromate or anhydrochromate is prepared by adding to the neutral yellow

chromate of potassium in solution, a moderate quantity of one of the stronger acids.
Potassium permanganate is commercially prepared by mixing a solution of potassium
hydroxide and powdered manganese oxide with oxidizing agents like potassium chlorate.

Preparation of Potassium Dichromate – K2Cr2O7

• Potassium dichromate is an important chemical used in industries as an

oxidizing agent and for the preparation of many other compounds.
• Dichromates are usually prepared from chromates and this is obtained
by the combination of chromite ore with sodium/potassium carbonate
in the presence of air.

The reaction can be given as:

4FeCr2O4 + 8Na2CO3 + 7O2 → 8Na2CrO4 + 2Fe2O3 + 8CO2

The solution of sodium chromate (Na2CrO4) is further purified with sulphuric acid to form a
solution from which the crystals of orange coloured sodium dichromate (Na2Cr2O7.2H2O) can
be extracted.

2Na2CrO4 + 2H+ → Na2Cr2O7 + 2Na+ + H2O

Now potassium dichromate can be obtained by reacting a solution of sodium dichromate

with potassium chloride.

Na2Cr2O7 + 2KCl → K2Cr2O7 + 2NaCl

Thus, we finally obtain the orange crystals of potassium dichromate.

Orange crystals of potassium dichromate crystallise out. The chromates and dichromates are
interconvertible in aqueous solution depending upon pH of the solution. The oxidation state
of chromium in chromate and dichromate is the same.

The structures of chromate ion, CrO4 2– and the dichromate ion, Cr2O7 2– are shown below. The
chromate ion is tetrahedral whereas the dichromate ion consists of two tetrahedra sharing one
corner with Cr–O–Cr bond angle of 126°. Sodium and potassium dichromats are strong
oxidising agents; the sodium salt has a greater
solubility in water and is extensively used as an
oxidising agent in organic chemistry. Potassium
dichromate is used as a primary standard in volumetric
analysis. In acidic solution, its oxidising action can be
represented as follows:
Preparation of Potassium Permanganate – KMnO4
We can get this (KMnO4) by reacting MnO2 with an alkali metal hydroxide and
KNO3 (oxidizing agent).

This will result in the production of dark green K2MnO4 which is disproportionate in an
acidic or neutral medium to give permanganate.

2MnO2 + 4KOH + O2 → 2K2MnO4 + 2H2O

3MnO42- + 4H+ → 2MnO4– + MnO2 + 2H2O

Therefore, the preparation of potassium permanganate involves a

reaction of MnO2 with KOH to give MnO42- followed by electrolytic
oxidation of manganate to give permanganate ion, MnO4–.

After this manganese ion salt gets oxidized by peroxodisulphate to permanganate ion as per
the reaction given below.

2Mn2+ + 5S2O82- + 8H2O → 2MnO4– +10SO42- + 16H+

Thus the dark purple coloured crystals of potassium permanganate are obtained.

2KMnO4 → K2MnO4 + MnO2 + O2

Properties of K2Cr2O7 & KMnO4

1. Properties of Potassium Dichromate, K2Cr2O7

• On heating, potassium dichromate decomposes to form potassium chromate, chromic

oxide and oxygen.
4K2Cr2O7 → 4K2CrO4 + 2CrO3 + 3O2

• It is a powerful oxidizing agent. It oxidizes iodide to iodine.

Cr2O72- + 14H+ + 6I– → 2Cr3+ + 7H2O + 3I2

• The compound has bright red crystals and is used for dyeing, staining, tanning etc.
• For a medical purposes, it can be an astringent, antiseptic and caustic. It emits toxic
chromium fumes when heated
• It is highly corrosive and is a strong oxidizing agent for which, it is used in wood
preservatives, pigments manufacture and photochemical processes.

2. Properties of Potassium permanganate, KMnO4

• When potassium permanganate is heated it gives potassium manganate, manganese

dioxide and oxygen.
2KMnO4 → K2MnO4 + MnO2 + O2

• It is a powerful oxidizing agent in acidic or alkaline solutions.

• It is in the form of purple crystals and gets soluble in hot water
• It is non-combustible but works as a catalyst in the burning of combustible materials.
• It will start a fire when mixed with glycerine.
• It can become toxic in high concentration

Applications of Potassium Dichromate

The primary application of K2Cr2O7 is in the preparation of potassium chrome alum, a
compound which is used extensively in the tanning of leather. Chromic acid can also be
prepared from this compound. Potassium dichromate is known to be used in the production of
cement since it improves the texture and the density of the cement mixture.

Another important application of potassium dichromate is in the photography industry, where

it is used in combination with a powerful mineral acid as an oxidizing agent for photographic
screen printing. Since it is non-hygroscopic in nature, this compound is also employed for
several wet tests in the field of analytical chemistry.

Structure of Potassium Dichromate Molecules

Potassium dichromate is an ionic compound consisting of two potassium cations and one
dichromate anion. The coordination geometries around the chromium atoms are tetrahedral.
The structure of a potassium dichromate molecule is illustrated below.
It can be noted that in the potassium dichromate molecule, potassium exhibits an oxidation
state of +1, oxygen exhibits an oxidation state of -2 and chromium exhibits an oxidation state
of +6. It can be noted that crystals of potassium dichromate have a triclinic structure.