The Oxidation State of Transition Metals

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]The Chemistry of Art > 4. The Transition Metals > The Oxidation State of Transition Metals >[/cs_text][cs_text style=”color: #800000;font-family: “Oxygen”,sans-serif;”]Why transition metals may have more than one oxidation state[/cs_text][cs_text]

  • Transition metals have multiple oxidation states
    • Due to ability to lose electrons from both the 3d and 4s subshells
  • It doesn’t take large amounts of energy for oxidation to occur because the 4s and 3d subshells are of similar energy levels
    • Therefore they are easily reduced or oxidised
    • High oxidation state = Good oxidising agent (Likely to reduce)
  • Each oxidation state exhibits different colours

General tip:

  • Main group metals
    • Oxidation states equal periodic table group number
  • Transtion metals
    • Oxidation states often less than their group number
  • Manganese
    • 0 – Mn(s)
    • 2+ – Mn2+(aq)
    • 3+ – Mn(OH)3 (s)
    • 4+ – MnO2 (s)
    • 6+ – MnO4-2 (aq)
    • 7+ – MnO4 (aq)
  • The +2 oxidation state occurs in nearly all transtion metals
    • Due to loss of the two 4s electrons
  • States above +2 results from additional loss of 3d electrons
    • When simple charged ions are formed
    • When transtion metal is bonded to more electronegative elements
  • Maximum oxidation states equal the total number of 4s and 3d electrons
    • From scandium to manganese, the maximum oxidation state increases from +3 to +7
    • Beyond manganese, the maximum oxidation states decrease and +3 and +2 are most prominent

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