## Oxidation number

Rebecca Epner 4A
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:18 am

### Oxidation number

Can someone simply explain how to calculate the oxidation number? I can't find a clear explanation in the book.

Lara Kristine Bacasen 1L
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:16 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: Oxidation number

So when trying to find the oxidation number, the way the solutions manual did it was that they essentially did a find x problem. So for the complex they should give you the overall charge and by looking at the individual ligands we will know what charge they have. The book has a table that gives the charges for the ligands so that makes it easier for homework. Once you know the charge of the ligands you have to find the oxidation number. So for example. We have the metal and 6 ligands that have a -1 charge and the overall charge is -4. making it a find x problem we have

metal ligand overall charge
1(x) + 6(-1) = -4 so....
x+(-6)=-4 --> x=-4+6 --> x=2 making the oxidation number 2(II)

Hope this helps. You just have to pay attention to the overall charge and the charge of the ligands and figure it out from there.

Michelle N - 2C
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:19 am

### Re: Oxidation number

My TA gave this formula, which I found to be very useful:

(# of metal atoms)(oxidation number) + Σ (# ligands)(charge of ligands) = charge of complex.

To find oxidation number, you make it a variable (x) and then solve for it. Hopefully that helps!