disproportionation

American  

[dis-pruh-pawr-shuh-ney-shuhn, -pohr-] / ˌdɪs prəˌpɔr ʃəˈneɪ ʃən, -ˌpoʊr- /

noun

Chemistry.

1. the simultaneous oxidation and reduction of a substance reacting with itself, thereby forming two dissimilar molecules, as 2C 2 H 4 →C 2 H 6 +C 2 H 2 .

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disproportionation British  

/ ˌdɪsprəˌpɔːʃəˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. a reaction between two identical molecules in which one is reduced and the other oxidized

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Etymology

Origin of disproportionation

First recorded in 1925–30; disproportion + -ation

Example Sentences

One such reaction is known as disproportionation, a process by which several sulfites react with each other, turning them into sulfate, and elemental sulfur, which are not useful for origin-of-life chemistry.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2024

For disproportionation reactions, the same substance functions as an oxidant and a reductant.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

The other method is the disproportionation of white phosphorus with hot concentrated base to produce phosphine and the hydrogen phosphite ion:

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

This disproportionation is incomplete, so chlorine water is an equilibrium mixture of chlorine molecules, hypochlorous acid molecules, hydronium ions, and chloride ions.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

All of the hypohalites are unstable with respect to disproportionation in solution, but the reaction is slow for hypochlorite.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019