Knowing oxidation states

[Alan Chang]

I was wondering if we have to know the oxidation states of elements in a compound for naming coordinate compounds on the exam. Because in the textbook, there were questions that wanted us to write the oxidation states of the metal when naming the compound, but to get that we will have to know the oxidation states of the other elements in the coordinate compound.

[Sarah Zhao 4C]

Yes you will
But pretty much everything except for transition metals will be the charge of the neutral atom.

[Becky Belisle 1A]

I think it's useful to memorize the oxidation states of the common ligands.

[katie_sutton1B]

Yes, the charge is mandatory to know when naming compounds because you have to be able to make it neutral or charged, depending on what the question is asking

[Ruiting Jia 4D]

I think it's useful to memorize the oxidation states of the common ligands.

Which are the common ligands that we would need to memorize for?

[Daisylookinland]

I think it's useful to memorize the oxidation states of the common ligands.

Which are the common ligands that we would need to memorize for?

Is there a certain place in the textbook that is good for studying this?

[Albert_Luu3K]

I'm not sure about the textbook, but there's this sheet on Professor Lavelle's website:
https://lavelle.chem.ucla.edu/wp-conten ... pounds.pdf

[Anusha 1H]

Table 9C.1 in the seventh edition is a good reference point. I think the most important ones to know, though, are aqua, ammine, nitrosyl, and carbonyl

[Hannah Pham 1D]

I think it is safe to just study the sheet posted on Lavelle's website because it has a lot of common ligands that we should probably know.

[Deepika Pugalenthi 1A]

My TA said there will be questions about oxidation states on the test and that the best way to know them is to memorize the formula in the book. The question on the test will be plug and chug. It would be helpful to know the oxidation states of certain common elements that come up with coordinate compounds so to make the process of naming easier.

[Saman Andalib 1H]

Yes, it is very common for Professor Lavelle to ask us to find the oxidation of a particular transition metal in the context of a coordination compound. These can normally be algebraically solved for, but you do need to know the oxidation states of some common ligands.

[taywebb]

Is the oxidation state the same as an oxidation number? or do the oxidation numbers of each element determine the compound's state?