Can anyone show me the reaction of sodium carbonate with water to produce bicarbonate and hydroxide as sodium carbonate dissolves? And if any, what is the reaction of tannins and caffeine with this solution? Thanks loads!

CO3^-2 + HOH ==> HCO3^- + OH^-

Strictly a guess but I suspect tannic acid reacts with the HCO3^-.
Some "tanning" processes use acids and the bicarbonate could be used to neutralize those excess acids. Here is a site, not very technical, but come information can b gleaned from it.
http://home.alltel.net/henryh/Lea&Mat.htm

Thanks Dr. For our intents and purposes I don't believe there to be a reaction. Thank you for your awesome help all the same!

Certainly! The reaction of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) with water (H2O) is known as hydrolysis. When sodium carbonate dissolves in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions, sodium (Na+), carbonate (CO3 2-), and hydroxide (OH-) ions:

Na2CO3 + H2O → 2Na+ + CO3 2- + H2O

The carbonate ions (CO3 2-) from sodium carbonate further react with water molecules to form bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) and hydroxide ions (OH-):

CO3 2- + H2O → HCO3- + OH-

So, in summary, sodium carbonate reacts with water to produce sodium ions (Na+), carbonate ions (CO3 2-), bicarbonate ions (HCO3-), and hydroxide ions (OH-).

Regarding the reaction of tannins and caffeine with this solution, both tannins and caffeine are organic compounds commonly found in tea, coffee, and other beverages. The exact reactions that occur between tannins, caffeine, and the sodium carbonate solution would depend on various factors such as concentration, temperature, and pH.

In general, tannins are known to form complexes with metal ions, so if the sodium carbonate solution contains any metal ions, tannins may react with them to form insoluble precipitates. For example, if the sodium carbonate solution contains calcium ions (Ca2+), tannins can react with calcium ions to form calcium-tannin complexes, which may appear as a cloudy precipitate.

On the other hand, caffeine, being an organic compound, may not directly react with the sodium carbonate solution. However, caffeine is a weak base and can undergo protonation in acidic or basic solutions. If the sodium carbonate solution is basic, then caffeine may react with the hydroxide ions (OH-) present to produce the corresponding caffeine salt or anion.

It's important to note that the specific reactions between tannins, caffeine, and the sodium carbonate solution can vary depending on the specific compounds and conditions involved. Conducting experiments or consulting literature sources would provide more precise information on the reactions.