Question

What is the common name of the compound $Ca{ \left( { OCl }_{ 2 } \right) }$?

Answer 1

- Hint: This compound is very commonly used for bleaching purposes and it also contains ${ OCl }^{ - }$ group whose chemical name is hypochlorite. Sometimes it is also called calcium oxychloride.

Complete step-by-step solution -
The compound $Ca{ \left( { OCl }_{ 2 } \right) }$ is chemically known as calcium hypochlorite and it is commonly known to us as bleaching powder. It is also known as chlorinated lime, chlorine powder, chloride of lime, and calcium oxychloride. Let us know more about this compound, some of its physical and chemical properties, and its uses.
Naturally bleaching powder is white solid in colour but the product which is found in the market is usually yellow. This is due to its slow decomposition in moist air which releases chlorine and that is the reason it strongly smells like chlorine.
It is sparingly soluble in water and it is available in two forms, dry which is the anhydrous form and hydrated that is the hydrous form. The hydrous form contains water molecules in it.
Calcium hypochlorite is prepared in industries by treating slaked lime i.e. calcium hydroxide with chlorine gas. Calcium chloride is formed as a by-product of this reaction.
$2{ Cl }_{ 2 }+2Ca{ \left( OH \right) }_{ 2 }\longrightarrow Ca{ \left( { OCl }_{ 2 } \right) }+{ CaCl }_{ 2 }+2{ H }_{ 2 }O$
Bleaching powder is widely used for sanitizing purposes. It is used for bleaching purposes and as a swimming pool chemical. It can be used in applied chemistry to produce chloroform
It is also used as a strong oxidising agent. When reacted with HCl, it oxidises the chlorine in HCl to form chlorine gas. The equation for this reaction is given below.
$Ca{ \left( { OCl }_{ 2 } \right) }+4HCl\longrightarrow { CaCl }_{ 2 }+2{ H }_{ 2 }O+2{ Cl }_{ 2 }$
Therefore, the common name of the compound $Ca{ \left( { OCl }_{ 2 } \right) }$ is bleaching powder.

Note: Don’t confuse bleaching powder with liquid bleach. Liquid bleach is sodium hypochlorite. Its chemical formula is NaOCl or NaClO. It is the household bleach that we use daily in our house as a disinfectant. Bleaching powder has greater availability of chlorine compared to liquid bleach.