What is disproportionation reaction?

Disproportionation is a type of chemical reaction in which a single species is simultaneously oxidized and reduced. This results in the formation of two different products, one with a higher oxidation state and the other with a lower oxidation state than the original species.

Disproportionation reactions are commonly seen in redox reactions involving intermediate oxidation states of an element. For example, in the disproportionation of chlorine:

2Cl₂ → 2Cl⁻ + Cl₂⁺

In this reaction, chlorine gas is both oxidized to form chloride ions (Cl⁻) and reduced to form hypochlorous acid (Cl₂⁺).

Disproportionation reactions can also occur in organic chemistry, where certain functional groups can undergo simultaneous oxidation and reduction. One example is the Cannizzaro reaction, in which an aldehyde is oxidized to a carboxylic acid and reduced to an alcohol in the presence of a base.

Overall, disproportionation reactions are important in various chemical processes and play a key role in understanding redox chemistry.