A set of chemical reactions that create sodium carbonate, ammonium chloride, and/or sodium hydrogen carbonate (a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate). Sodium carbonate finds use in Ajax and non-chlorine bleach, while sodium hydrogen carbonate is the major constituent of baking soda

Step 1: Ammonia reacts with carbon dioxide and water to create ammonium carbonate

2NH3 + H2O + CO2 ---> (NH4)2CO3

Step 2: More carbon dioxide and water is added to the ammonium carbonate, creating ammonium hydrogen carbonate (a.k.a. ammonium bicarbonate)

(NH4)2CO3 + H2O + CO2 ---> 2NH4HCO3

Step 3: Sodium chloride reacts with the ammonium hydrogen carbonate to form sodium hydrogen carbonate and ammonium chloride.

NaCl + 2NH4HCO3 -(equilibrium)--> NaHCO3 + NH4Cl

If sodium carbonate is desired instead of sodium hydrogen carbonate, heating the sodium hydrogen carbonate will produce it.

2NaHCO3 --(heat)--> Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2
