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Sodium chloride and sulfuric acid can react to produce hydrochloric acid and sodium hydrogen sulfide. Heating speeds up the reaction, which is commonly done in a HCl generator. Safety precautions must be taken due to the corrosive nature of the products.
Sodium chloride and sulfuric acid are two compounds that are often used in laboratories and manufacturing organizations for a variety of purposes. These two can also be used to react with each other, in order to give two other products, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydrogen sulfide, which can also be useful. For small-scale production, this reaction is a preferred means of creating hydrochloric acid.
Usually, sodium chloride (NaCl) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) are combined with the salt in its solid form and the acid diluted in water. Generally the reaction of sodium chloride and sulfuric acid takes place in a well-ventilated environment, with a heat source to speed up the reaction. While the production of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydrogen sulfate (NaHSO4) can occur at room temperature under certain conditions, heating allows this reaction to proceed much more rapidly and completely. Also, while even concentrated sulfuric acid can react well, it is usually more dangerous to work with, and an acid-water solution can still produce enough HCl for most limited-use laboratory purposes.
A common laboratory device used in mixing sodium chloride and sulfuric acid is known as a HCl generator. This device allows for the high temperatures necessary for the reaction to occur rapidly, as well as ventilation and glassware to capture the HCl as it forms, because it is created in gaseous form. NaHSO4 is produced as a molten liquid, which can be captured in the glass vessel in which the reaction takes place and cooled into a solid for later use. When the two reactants, sodium chloride and sulfuric acid, are combined, the reaction can be written as NaCl + H2SO4 —> HCl + NaHSO4.
In this reaction, a proton from the acid leaves, forming a temporary reactant, H3O+. The proton then combines with the chlorine ion, which easily dissociates from the sodium ion in the solution due to the high polarity, or electrical charge, of both of these ions. The heat that is added during this reaction of sodium chloride and sulfuric acid allows the reaction to proceed to completion.
Both sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid are extremely corrosive substances, capable of reacting rapidly with water. Unless the products of this reaction are contained, the gaseous hydrochloric acid could potentially contact the person performing it, causing injury or death. Consequently, this reaction is usually only undertaken by individuals with a strong background in chemistry, under laboratory conditions, with safety equipment.
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