Can you write a synthesis reaction with 3 reactants on one side with a single product on the other (e.g., A + B + C → ABC)?

1 Answer
Feb 9, 2015

The production of group 1 and group 2 hydrogen carbonates are synthesis reactions that produce a single product from three reactants.

Group 1 hydrogencarbonates #"MHCO"_3#: Formed on bubbling excess carbon dioxide into the hydroxide solution.

#"2MOH(aq) + CO"_2("g")# #rarr# #"M"_2"CO"_3("aq") + "H"_2"O"("l")#

(M = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs)

The reaction above happens first and then:

#"M"_2"CO"_3("aq") + "H"_2"O"("l") + "CO"_2("g")# #rarr# #"2MHCO"_3("aq")#

(M = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs)

Group 2 hydrogencarbonates #"M(HCO"_3)_2#: formed when excess carbon dioxide is bubbled through a slurry of the carbonate and they are only stable in solution.

#"MCO"_3("s") + "H"_2"O"("l") + "CO"_2("g")# #rightleftharpoons# #"M(HCO"_3)_2("aq")#

(M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)

Note that these bicarbonates exist in solution only, and when they are boiled, the reaction reverses, and the metal bicarbonate decomposes into the metal carbonate and water, and #"CO"_2("g")# is released.

http://www.docbrown.info/page07/sblockb.htm#9.