Chromium is ordinarily encountered in the laboratory in +3 or a +6 oxidation state.

In cr(iii) salts
chromium is usually present as a cation, whereas Cr(VI) species are all anions, typically Cr04 and
cr2o7. There are some cr(ii) compounds, but they every easily oxidize and are rarely encountered
in solution.

As the same implies, chromium compounds are characteristically colored.

Chromium (III) complexes are very common; these complex ions are sometimes slow to undergo
ligand exchange, and are therefore called inert or nonlabile, to distinguish them from labile
complexes, which come into equilibrium with surrounding ligands in solution almost
instantaneously. Chromium (III) complexes are usually green or violet and are soluble in water and
in acids. Some common salts are Cr(NO3)3.9H2O (violet) and K2Cr2(SO4)4.24H20(red-violet, called
chrome alum)

Since Cr3+ in solution has many properties in common with Al 3+ and Fe3+, it is ordinarily oxidized
to a Cr(VI) anion during analysis. The anion CrO42- is yellow exists in base solutions, and forms
many insoluble salts with other cations. In acidie medium this ion reacts to forma the orange
dichromate ion Cr2O72-

2 CrO42- + 2H+ Cr2O72- +H2O

CHARACTERISTIC REACTIONS OF THE CHROMIUN (III) ION

1. Soluble sulfides. In weakly basic solutions, Cr(OH)3, a gelatinous, green precipitate, is

obtained. Like Al2S3, Cr2S3 hidrolyzes completely in water and therefore does not form in
the reaction. Predictably. H2S in acid solutions does no react with Cr(III) salts.
2. Sodium hydroxide and ammonia. These reagents precipitate Cr(OH)3, which is soluble in
excess hydroxide ion, forming a green solution containing chromite ion, Cr(OH)4 -. In
excess NH3 some dissolving also occurs, yielding a pink or violet complex ion. On boiling a
solutions of either complex, Cr(OH)3 reprecipitates.
3. Oxidizing and reducing agents. Chromic ion can be oxidized to the +6 state in either acids
or bases. In acid the reaction is carried out under extreme conditions, in concentrated
HNO3 loaded with potassium chlorate, itself a very strong oxidizing agent:

2Cr3+ + 6ClO3- +H2O Cr2O7 2- + 6ClO2(g) + 2H+

In moderately basic solution the reaction occurs much more easily, with H2O2 or another peroxide
being used to bring about the oxidation:

2Cr(OH)4-+ 3H2O2+ 2OH- 2CrO4- + 8H2O

Reduction of Cr(VI) ions to form chromic compounds is accomplished in acid solution, using H2S,
HI, or concentrated HCl as the reducing agent:

Cr2O7 2- + 8H+ +3H2S 2Cr3+ 3S(s) + 7H2O

The usual precipitates formed in qualitative tests for the presence of chromium are PbCrO4 or
BaCrO4, both of wich are yellow. The PbCrO4 dissolves in NaOH and strong acids, but not in acetic
acid or ammonia.

The BaCrO4 goes into solution in strong acids:

In nitric acid solution, the ce2o7 2- ions reacts with H2O2 to form a characteristic blue solution
containing a peroxide, which perhaps has the formula CrO5

Cr2O7 2- + 4H2O2 + 2H+ 2CrO5 + 5H2O

Chromium peroxide is unstable, and the color fades rather quickly. Ether is sometimes added
before the H2O2, and the CrO3 is extracted into the ether phase by shaking, because it is more
stable there than in the HNO3, Chromium metal is hard and crystalline. It goes into solution in HCl
and H2SO4 but not in HNO3, in which it is passive