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(A) Why are fluorides of transition metals more stable in their higher oxidation state as compared to the lower oxidation state?
Answer
- When transition metals move to higher oxidation states, they donate their electrons and get oxidised.
- This results in an ion that is unstable due to its large size.
- Fluorine is a highly electronegative element. It attracts most of the electron cloud from the elements it is bonding with.
- It bonds with electropositive elements and stabilises them by sharing the electron cloud and forming strong covalent bonds .
The ability of fluorine to stabilize the highest oxidation state is attributed to its high lattice energy or high bond enthalpy .
