CHEMISTRY BLOCK-d

Oxidation State
Colour
Magnetism
Oxidation State
Oxidation State
The oxidation state of an element is related to the number of electrons
that an atom loses, gains, or appears to use when joining with another
atom in compounds. It also determines the ability of an atom to oxidize
(to lose electrons) or to reduce (to gain electrons) other atoms or
species. Almost all of the transition metals have multiple potential
oxidation states.
Oxidation State
The occurrence of variable oxidation states is a characteristic of
most d-block metals; exceptions are in groups 3 and 12.

As expected, metals that display the greatest number of different

oxidation states occur in or near the middle of a d-block row.
 The formula for determining oxidation states would be
(with the exception of copper and chromium):

Highest Oxidation State for a Transition metal

= Number of Unpaired d-electrons + Two s-
orbital electrons

Note: Chromium and Copper Exceptions

Chromium and copper have 4s1 instead of 4s2. This is because chromium is 1 d-
electron short for having a half-filled d-orbital, therefore it takes one from the s-
orbital, so the electron configuration for chromium would just be: [Ar]
4s13d5. Similarly, for copper, it is 1 d-electron short for having a fully-filled d-orbital
and takes one from the s-orbital, so the electron configuration for copper would
simply be: [Ar] 4s13d10.
Colour
Colours of Transition Metal Ions in Aqueous Solution

In order to explain why transition metals are coloured, we first have to

talk a little about how the electrons in an atom are arranged around the
central nucleus.

Within shells, electrons are actually arranged in special areas in particular

energy levels, in sub-shells called ‘orbitals’. These orbitals come in different
shapes, and are named using different letters: s, p, d, & f. Each of this orbitals
can hold varying numbers of electrons: s can hold 2, p 6, d 10 and f 14.
Transition metals are unique in the Periodic Table in that they are the only
elements that contain partially filled d orbitals, and these are key to the
coloured compounds and complexes they form.
Transition metal complexes are
formed when transition metals
are bonded to one or more
neutral or negatively charged
non-metal species, referred to
as ‘ligands’. Without these
bonds, all the d orbitals are
equal in energy – however,
once they are present, some d
orbitals move to a higher energy
than they were at before, whilst
some move to a lower energy,
creating an energy gap.
This is due to the fact that, due to their differing shapes, some d orbital
are nearer to the ligands than others. Electrons can move from the lower
energy d orbitals to the higher energy d orbitals by absorbing a photon
of light; the wavelength of the absorbed light depends on the size of the
energy gap. Any unabsorbed wavelengths of light pass through
unabsorbed, and this causes the coloured appearance of the
compounds.
Magnetic Properties
Most main-group ionic compounds are colorless and diamagnetic
because the metal ion has no unpaired electrons.
Many transition metal ionic compounds are highly colored and
paramagnetic because the metal ion has one or more unpaired
electrons.
Transition metal ions with a d0 or d10 configuration are also
colorless and diamagnetic.
1. Determine the oxidation states of the transition metals found in
these neutral compounds:
2) Determine the oxidation state of the transition metal for an
overall non-neutral compound: Manganate (MnO42-)
3) Why do transition metals have a greater number of
oxidation states than main group metals (i.e. alkali metals and
alkaline earth metals)?
4) Which transition metal has the most number of oxidation
states?
5) Why does the number of oxidation states for transition
metals increase in the middle of the group?
6) What two transition metals have only one oxidation state?
7) Determine the magnetic properties of Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu in
all of their oxidation state