Chapter 2, Problem 44AP

A possible practical way to eliminate oxides of nitrogen(such as ${\text{NO}}_{\text{2}}$ ) from automobile exhaust gases uses cyanuricacid, ${\text{C}}_{\text{3}}{\text{N}}_{\text{3}}{\left(\text{OH}\right)}_{\text{3}}$ . When heated to the relatively lowtemperature of 625°F, cyanuric acid converts to gaseousisocyanic acid (HNCO). Isocyanic acid reacts with ${\text{NO}}_{\text{2}}$ inthe exhaust to form nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water,all of which are normal constituents of the air.

(a) Write balanced equations for these two reactions.

(b) If the process described earlier became practical, howmuch cyanuric acid (in kilograms) would be requiredto absorb the $\text{1}.\text{7}\times \text{1}0\text{1}0{\text{ kg NO}}_{\text{2}}$ generated annuallyin auto exhaust in the United States?