Question

Discuss the following property with respect to transition elements:

Oxidation states.

Answer 1

1. Transition elements exhibit variable oxidation states due to the similar energy of their (n − 1)d and ns electrons, which both participate in bonding.
2. The common oxidation states often include +2, arising from loss of two ns electrons, and higher states involving (n − 1)d electrons.
3. Stability is influenced by electron configuration; half-filled or fully filled d-subshells add stability (e.g., Mn²⁺ with 3d⁵, Zn²⁺ with 3d¹⁰).
4. Oxidation states increase progressively within a group as the atomic number increases.
5. Transition metals can show oxidation states ranging from +1 to +8, with covalent bonds predominant at higher states (e.g., Mn in the +7 state in the permanganate ion).