An Overview on Potassium Permanganate

Potassium Permanganate is an inorganic compound, and the chemical formula of potassium permanganate is KMnO4. It is the most common and well-known permanganic acid salt. Pyrolusite ore is used to make Potassium Permanganate. It is widely used as a strong oxidising agent in the chemical sector and labs and as a treatment for dermatitis, wound cleansing, and general disinfection. It is listed as an essential medicine by the World Health Organization. In the year 2000, global production was predicted to be 30,000 tonnes. Potash permanganate is another name for it. This article will look over potassium permanganate in further detail (KMnO4).

What Is Potassium Permanganate?

Potassium permanganate is a chemical substance with a purple colour. It’s a manganic acid with potassium salt. It’s also known as potash permanganate and goes by Condy’s crystals and hypermangan. In 1659, German chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber created potassium permanganate for the first time but quickly forgot it. The chemical formula of Potassium Permanganate is KMnO4.

History Behind KMnO4

Johann Rudolf Glauber combined the minerals pyrolusite (manganese dioxide, MnO2) and potassium carbonate in 1659 to create a substance that, when dissolved in water, produced a green solution (potassium manganate) that gradually moved to violet and eventually red. The manufacture of potassium permanganate is described first in this report.

Structure Of Potassium Permanganate

The ionic compound potassium permanganate comprises a potassium cation (K+) and a permanganate anion (MnO4-). The manganese atom is connected to four oxygen atoms by three double bonds and one single bond in permanganate anion (MnO4-). Manganese in this salt has an oxidation state of +7. Solid KMnO4 has an orthorhombic crystalline structure. Tetrahedral symmetry is present in each MnO4- formation.

Preparation Of KMnO4 

The MnO2 is combined with potassium hydroxide and heated in the presence of oxygen, such as potassium nitrate or potassium chlorate. Potassium manganate is the result of this process:

2 MnO2 + 4 KOH + O2 → 2 K2MnO4 + 2 H2O

(One reason potassium permanganate is more widely used than sodium permanganate is that the result of sodium hydroxide is an Mn(V) molecule rather than sodium manganate.) In addition, potassium salt crystallises more readily.

After that, electrolytic oxidation in alkaline environments converts the potassium manganate to permanganate. And in this way, KMnO4, which is the chemical formula of Potassium Permanganate, is created;

2 K2MnO4 + 2 H2O → 2 KMnO4 + 2 KOH + H2  

Physical And Chemical Properties Of KMnO4

Physical Properties

KMnO4 colour is vivid purple or bronze. It has a density of 2.7 grams per millilitre and a molecular concentration of 158.034 grams per mol. The chemical is odourless, which means it has no odour but a sweet flavour. It has a melting point of 2400 degrees Celsius. It is most commonly found in dust, crystal, or tablet form.

Chemical Properties

Acetone, water, pyridine, methanol, and acetic acid are all soluble in potassium permanganate. It’s also absorbed in organic and inorganic solvents. The concentrated solution has a rich purple colour, whereas the dilute solution has a pink colour. It is not flammable, but it helps other things burn. When it comes into contact with sulfuric acid, it explodes. It produces flame and smoke when combined with glycerol and simple alcohols.

Use Of Potassium Permanganate

The use of Potassium Permanganate exploits its oxidising properties. KMnO4 has a variety of applications as a powerful oxidant that does not produce harmful byproducts.

• Potassium permanganate is used to treat a variety of skin problems. Impetigo, pemphigus, superficial wounds, dermatitis, and tropical ulcers are examples of fungal diseases of the foot.
• Potassium Permanganate is widely used in water treatment. It is utilised as a regeneration chemical in a “Manganese Greensand” Filter that removes iron and hydrogen sulphide (rotten egg smell) from well water. 

Using KMnO4 as a reagent in synthesising organic molecules is one of its most important applications. Ascorbic acid, chloramphenicol, saccharin, isonicotinic acid, and pyrazines acid need to be made.

Conclusion

Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) is a well-known oxidising agent and a dark purple (nearly black) inorganic chemical substance. Along with its applications, it also has its way of reacting with other chemical compounds. It plays out a different reaction in organic chemistry and with acids. KMnO4 also has a role in thermal decomposition. Potassium permanganate has both good and bad effects depending on its concentration level and how it is mixed in the solid and liquor state. This article learned about potassium permanganate’s chemical formula, its history, structure, preparations, physical and chemical characteristics, and applications in several sectors.