Question
Which of the following reactions is an example of use of water gas in the synthesis of other compounds?
A.
\[C{{H}_{4\left( g \right)}}+{{H}_{2}}{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}\xrightarrow[Ni]{1270\,K}C{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}+{{H}_{2\left( g \right)}}\]
B.
\[C{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}+{{H}_{2}}{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}\xrightarrow[\text{Catalyst}]{673\,K}C{{O}_{2\left( g \right)}}+{{H}_{2\left( g \right)}}\]
C.
\[{{C}_{n}}{{H}_{2n+2}}+n{{H}_{2}}{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}\xrightarrow[Ni]{1270\,K}\] \[nCO+\left( 2n+1 \right){{H}_{2}}\]
D.
\[C{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}+2{{H}_{2\left( g \right)}}\xrightarrow[\text{Catalyst}]{\text{Cobalt}}C{{H}_{3}}O{{H}_{\left( l \right)}}\]
Answer :
\[C{{O}_{\left( g \right)}}+2{{H}_{2\left( g \right)}}\xrightarrow[\text{Catalyst}]{\text{Cobalt}}C{{H}_{3}}O{{H}_{\left( l \right)}}\]
Solution :
The mixture of $$CO$$ and $${H_2}$$ is called water gas. As this mixture of $$CO$$ and $${H_2}$$ is used for the synthesis of methanol and a number of hydrocarbons, it is also called 'synthesis gas' or 'syngas'.