What is the oxidation number of oxygen in #OF_2(g)#?

1 Answer
anor277
Apr 22, 2017

This is #O^(+II)#, an unusual oxidation state.........

Explanation:

Oxidation state is the charge left on the central atom, when all the bonding pairs of electrons are removed from the central atom, with the charge assigned to the most electronegative atom.

Now we know that fluorine is the most electronegative atom on the Periodic Table, so it gets the electrons.............

#OF_2 rarr O^(2+) +2xxF^(-)#

What is the oxidation number of oxygen in #FOOF# (and it goes by this name because of its diabolic reactivity)?

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