which species cannot behave as a reducing agent?

[Smooth Operater]

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which species cannot behave as a reducing agent?

a. ClO-
b. ClO2-
c. ClO3-
d. ClO4-
e. all of above.

the correct answer is D. But I don't know why. all the Cl's in every molecule has +ve oxidation number. So, should they all being able to be oxidized?

 

[who knows...]

which species cannot behave as a reducing agent?

a. ClO-
b. ClO2-
c. ClO3-
d. ClO4-
e. all of above.

the correct answer is D. But I don't know why. all the Cl's in every molecule has +ve oxidation number. So, should they all being able to be oxidized?

for it to be a reducing agent it has to undergo oxidation and thus lose electrons...
I think its because in d, the chlorine is bonded from all four places (draw a lewis dot diagram) and can't give up any more of its electrons where as in the others it can give up electrons...this is because not all of the electrons in the a,b,c chlorines are shared with oxygens and thus it can lose some

please someone correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[cryptozoologist]

for it to be a reducing agent it has to undergo oxidation and thus lose electrons...
I think its because in d, the chlorine is bonded from all four places (draw a lewis dot diagram) and can't give up any more of its electrons where as in the others it can give up electrons...this is because not all of the electrons in the a,b,c chlorines are shared with oxygens and thus it can lose some

please someone correct me if I'm wrong...

that's right. reducing agents get oxidized which means:
- lose electrons
or
-increase bonds to O
-decrease bonds to H

clearly there are no bonds to H, there are already 4 bonds to O, and there are no free electrons.

 

[tom_servo_dds]

that's right. reducing agents get oxidized which means:
- lose electrons
or
-increase bonds to O
-decrease bonds to H

clearly there are no bonds to H, there are already 4 bonds to O, and there are no free electrons.

agreed