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Atomic: M.A.C. | Reference
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Reactions of Chlorine
Reactions with water
Chlorine reacts with water to produce hypochlorite, OCl-. The pH of the solution determines the position of the equilibrium.
  Cl2(g) + H2O(l)OCl-(aq) + 2H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
Reactions with air
Chlorine is not reactive towards nitrogen or oxygen.
Reactions with halogens
Fluorine reacts with chlorine at 225°C to form the interhalogen species ClF. The trifluoride chlorine(III) fluoride is also formed if the reaction does not go to completion.
  Cl2(g) + F2(g)2ClF(g)
  Cl2(g) + 3F2(g)2ClF3(g)
Under more forcing conditions, excess fluorine reacts with chlorine at 350°C and 225 atmospheres pressure to form the interhalogen species ClF5.
  Cl2(g) + 5F2(g)2ClF5(g)
Chlorine, reacts with bromine in the gas phase to form the unstable interhalogen species bromine(I) chloride, ClBr.
  Cl2(g) + Br2(g)2ClBr(g)
Chlorine reacts with iodine at room temperature to form the interhalogen species iodine(I) chloride, ClI.
  Cl2(g) + I2(s)2ICl(s)
Reactions with bases
Chlorine reacts with hot aqueous alkali to produce chlorate, ClO3-. Only one sixth of the total chlorine is converted in this reaction.
  3Cl2(g) + 6OH-(aq)ClO3-(aq) + 5Cl-(aq) + 3H2O
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Cl2(g) + 2e-2Cl- +1.359
Cl2(aq) + 2e-2Cl- +1.39
ClO4- + 2H+ + 2e-ClO3- + H2O +1.19
ClO4- + H2O + 2e-ClO3- + 2OH- +0.36
2ClO4- + 16H+ + 14e-Cl2(g) + 8H2O +1.39
ClO3- + 3H+ + 2e-HClO2 + H2O +1.21
ClO3- + H2O + 2e-ClO2- + 2OH- +0.33
2ClO3- + 12H+ + 10e-Cl2(g) + 3H2O +1.47
HClO2 + 2H+ + 2e-HClO + H2O +1.64
ClO2- + H2O + 2e-ClO- + 2OH- +0.66
2HClO + 2H+ + 2e-Cl2(g) + H2O +1.63
2ClO- + 2H2O + 2e-Cl2(g) + 4OH- +0.40