Question

can PCl₃ acts as an oxidising as well as a reducing agent. justify.

Answer 1

The oxidation state of phosphorous in PCl₃ is +3. The oxidation reactions are the one in which its oxidation state gets increased to +5 and reduction reactions are the one in which its oxidation number is reduced . If the first reaction occur it acts as a reducing agent and the second one happens it acts as an oxidising agent.

​PCl₃ can act both as an oxidizing agent as well as reducing agent.
As a reducing agent:
PCl₃ reduces the following as ​(oxidation number changed from + 3 to +5)

PCl₃ + SO₂Cl₂ -----> PCl₅ + SO₂
PCl₃ + SO₃ -----> POCl₃ + SO₂
As an oxidizing agent:
PCl₃ oxidizes metals to their respective chlorides ​

12Ag + 4PCl₃ ----> 12AgCl + P₄ (oxidation number changed from + 3 to 0)​​
6Na + PCl₃ ----> 3NaCl + Na₃P ​(oxidation number changed from + 3 to -3)​