INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY HCMC

SCHOOL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

Experiment 3
SYNTHESIS OF SODIUM THIOSULFATE
PENTAHYDRATE

INSTRUCTOR: DR. HOANG LE SON

GROUP 1
STUDENT NAME:
PHAM THI LINH CHI BTBCIU17061
LE THANH HAN BTBCIU17004
NGUYEN THANH HANG BTBCIU17050
NGUYEN THI NGOC LINH BTBCIU17041
DATE OF SUBMISSION: MAY 21st, 2019
 I. Abstract
The experiment illustrated the method to gain sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate in laboratory. It
was performed by heating an aqueous solution of sodium sulfite with sulfur or by boiling
aqueous sodium hydroxide and sulfur. In this substance, the oxidation states of sulfur were -2
and +6. Silver chloride, iodine and hydrochloric acid were used as an indicator to make sure the
quality of sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate.

II. Introduction
Sulfur or sulphur is a chemical element with symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant,
multivalent, and nonmetallic. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow, crystalline solid at room
temperature. Common oxidation states of sulfur are -2, 0, +4, and +6. In addition to the simple
sulfite and sulfate ions with sulfur in oxidation states +4 and +6 respectively, there are many
more complex anions known with sulfur in intermediate overall oxidation states (or different
sulfur atoms in more than one oxidation state in the same compound, which amounts to the same
thing).
Sodium thiosulfate (sodium thiosulphate) is an inorganic compound with the formula
Na2S2O3.xH2O. Typically it is available as the white or colorless pentahydrate, Na2S2O3·5H2O.
In the laboratory, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate is prepared by dissolving powdered elemental
sulfur in a solution of sodium sulfite. Since the powdered sulfur is very “dry”, a small amount of
detergent is added to assist it in dissolving:

S(s) + Na2SO3 (aq) + 5H2O (l) = Na2S2O3·5 H2O(s)

To test the sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate, it is commonly used iodine, hydrochloric acid or
silver chloride.
A magnetic stirrer or magnetic mixer is a laboratory device that employs a rotating magnetic
field to cause a stir bar (or flea) immersed in a liquid to spin very quickly, thus stirring it. The
rotating field may be created either by a rotating magnet or a set of stationary electromagnets,
placed beneath the vessel with the liquid.

III. Materials and method

 Material:

Equipment Chemicals
• Beaker (250 mL)
• Cylinder • Sulfur
• Test tubes • Sodium sulfite
• Hotplate-stirrer • Tetrabutyl ammonium hydrogen sulfate
 • Stirring bar • Potassium chloride
• Pipette (10mL) • Silver nitrate
• Dropper • Iodine
• Microspatula
• Potassium iodide
• Filter paper
• Hydrochloric acid
• Mortar and pestle
• Funnel • Distilled water
• Erlenmeyer flask (250mL)

 Methods:
Part 1: Synthetic reaction of sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate
6 g of sulfur and 3 g sodium sulfite were grinded to a fine powder and mixed together by using a
mortar and pestle, and then in the mixture, adding 3 g catalyst tetrabutyl ammonium hydrogen
sulfate to 50 mL of deionized water. After that, the mixture was boiled gently on a stirrer-
hotplate at 60oC, 180rpm while stirring until almost all of the sulfur has reacted. Next, the
unreacted sulfur was filtered off by using funnel with filter paper, and then filtrate was collected
and then the filtrate's volume was reduced to about 18 mL by evaporating solvent, cooling
slowly to room temperature to produce crystals. It had not to cool by using an ice bath.
Then, the solution was put into the fridge in 30 minutes.
Part 2: Tests for sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate
There are 3 ways to test for sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate.
Firstly, precipitate of silver chloride was prepared by putting 10 drops of 0.5 M potassium
chloride and then add 0.5 M silver nitrate. Then a stock solution was added drop by drop to this
mixture with shaking.
Secondly, an iodine solution was prepared by dissolving 2 g of potassium iodide in 50 mL of
water (1) and then about 1 g of iodine crystals was added to (1), dissolved and made up to 100
mL with water. After that, a stock solution was added into a test tube place iodine solution.
Lastly, the solution was put into the tube with 10 drops, then 2M hydrochloric acid was added
with 5 drops.
IV. Results:

Figure 1: The mixture of 6 g sulfur powder, 3 g sodium sulfite, 0.3 g catalyst tetrabutyl
ammonium hydrogen sulfate ,and 50 ml distilled water

Phenomenon : This mixture has yellow but the powder is not dissolved completely.

Figure 2: The stock solution after filtering compares with distilled water
Phenomenon : the stock solution is colorless but it is opaque than water.
Figure 3: the stock solution after being cooled in fridge for 30 minutes and lowered to room
temperature.

Figure 4: Precipitate of silver chloride

Figure 5: The result after adding drop by drop stock solution into precipitate of silver chloride
and shaking
Phenomenon : white precipitate → light brown solution and very little black precipitate .

Figure 6: Iodine solution

Figure 7: The result after adding drop by drop stock solution into iodine solution
Phenomenon : red blood solution → colorless
 Figure 8: The result of adding hydrochloric acid into stock solution.
Phenomenon : colorless → white – yellow milky

V. Discussion
This experiment was designed to show the oxidation states of sulfur as well as main reactions
and applications of sodium thiosulfate.
Sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) is a colorless crystalline compound that is familiar as the sodium
thiosulfate pentahydrate (Na2S2O3.5H2O). It can be produced by boiling elemental sulfur in an
aqueous solution of sodium sulfite.
S (s) + Na2SO3 (aq) + 5H2O → Na2S2O3.5H2O (s)
In this experiment, the result is true that crystallization will be obtained, however, the crystals
were not formed because of a lack of time and due to errors in the amount of substances or have
mistakes while stirring.
The reaction between potassium chloride and silver nitrate will produce a white precipitate
according to the equation below:
KCl (aq) + AgNO3 (aq) → AgCl (s) + KNO3 (aq)
After adding drop by drop stock solution into the test tube, the precipitate will be dissolved in
theory. This application as a photographic fixer
2 S2O32− + AgCl → [Ag(S2O3)2]3− + Cl−
However, the result is a brown solution and some black precipitate because of the excess of
AgNO3. The silver thiosulphate formed is a white precipitate. The solubility of silver thiosulphate
is very low and it slowly precipitates as a white precipitate which then turns yellow, brown and
finally turns black.
2 AgNO3 (aq) + Na2S2O3 (aq) → Ag2S2O3 (S) + 2 NaNO3 (aq)
Ag2S2O3 (S) + H2O → Ag2S (S) + H2SO4 (aq)
The sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate reacts with iodine solution which is a red blood solution.
This experiment is called iodine titration. The color of solution change from red blood to the
colorless solution following the equation:
 2 S2O32− + I2 → S4O62− + 2 I−
Sodium thiosulfate reats with hydrochloric acid to produce sulfur, sulfur dioxide and water. The
solution turns from colorless to opaque yellow. This reaction is known as “ clock reaction”.
Na2S2O3 (aq) + 2HCl (aq) → 2NaCl (aq) + SO2 (g) + S (s) + H2O

VI. Conclusion
Sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) is a colorless crystalline compound that is more familiar as the
pentahydrate, Na2S2O3·5H2O, an efflorescent.
This experiment illustrated method to synthesize sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate by dissolving
powered elemental sulfur in an aqueous solution of sodium sulfite.
Sodium thiosulfate is commonly used in photography, analyst of iodine.

VII. References
2. Lab manual experiment 3 – International University
4. “Sodium Thiosulphate” - What Are Uses of Sodium Thiosulphate.
https://randysoderman.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/what-are-uses-of-sodium-thiosulphate/