Chapter 9, Problem 9.127SP

Vinyl chloride (H₂C=CHCl), the starting material used in the industrial preparation of poly (vinyl chloride), is prepared by a two-step process that begins with the reaction of Cl₂ with ethylene to yield 1,2-dichloroethane:

${\text{Cl}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g)}+{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{C}={\text{CH}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g)}\to {\text{ClCH}}_{\text{2}}{\text{CH}}_{\text{2}}\text{Cl(l)}$

$\Delta H°$ = -217.5 kJ

$\Delta S°$ = -233.9 J/K

(a) Tell whether the reaction is favored by entropy, by enthalpy, by both, or by neither, and then calculate $\Delta G°$ at 298 K.

(b) Tell whether the reaction has an equilibrium temperature between spontaneous and nonspontaneous. If yes, calculate the equilibrium temperature.