Metal + acid → salt + hydrogen The abbreviation M.A.S.H. can be used to remember this general reaction. When a metal is put in acid, it gets smaller and smaller as it gets used up in the ...

The combination of metal and ascorbic acid is a very efficient oxidizing system. This system is mainly employed for the hydroxylation of alkenes, aromatics, and other oxidation reactions.

A new study shows that several metals likely abundant on early Earth can do the catalysis under biological conditions, at room temperature (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08535).

Acids are reactive, and even weak acids like vinegar can wow students with their reactivity. But strong acids can really put on a show, dissolving otherwise relatively inert metals. And aqua regia, or ...