A RAMAN-STUDY OF THE ISOMERS AND DIMER OF HYDROGEN SULFITE ION

Raman spectra of aqueous solutions of hydrogen sulfite ion (SHO3-) were collected over temperatures of 275 to 340 K. The change in peak intensities with temperature was used to assign peaks to the hydrogen sulfite isomers. The HOSO2- isomer has a peak at 1023 cm-1 and the HSO3- isomer has a peak at 1052 cm-1. The relative strengths of the peaks were determined and used to measure the equilibrium quotients for hydrogen sulfite ion. Q1 = [HOSO2-]/[HSO3-] Q2 = [S2O52-]/[SHO3-]2 No evidence was found for a hydrogen sulfite dimer other than disulfite ion, S2O52-.