Oxidation States: How to derive [ENDORSED]

[Akash_Kapoor_1L]

In question number 23, Chapter 3, the textbook asks us to find the maximum positive and negative oxidation numbers for Chlorine. I think I'm just confused on the general method for deriving the maximum oxidation numbers. How do we figure out what the maximum oxidation numbers would be??

[Priyanka Bhakta 1L]

The maximum oxidation numbers can be found by figuring out how many electrons the element would need to lose or gain to end up with a filled valence shell. So, for Chlorine, the maximum positive oxidation number would be +7 because it would have to lose 7 electrons to have the complete valence shell of the preceding noble gas configuration. The maximum negative oxidation number for Cl would be -1 because it only needs to gain one electron to have the complete valence shell like the next possible noble gas.

Hope that helps!

[Yixin Angela Wang 2H]

so we would list all possible oxidation states, even if some are more or less likely than others? Also, would it be possible to do something like this for the transition metals (like in coordination complexes) without having to refer to the charges of the other elements and molecules involved?

[Chem_Mod]

Yes you would because they are all still possibilities. As for your question about transition metals, no it would not be possible. Transition metals behave differently.