Question

Oxidation number of carbon and total number of atoms in carbon suboxide are :

• A. $+5,4$
• B. $+\frac{4}{3},3$
• C. $+\frac{4}{3},5$
• D. $+4,5$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $+\frac{4}{3},5$

The formula of carbon suboxide is $C_3{O}_2[O=C=C=C=O]$.
So, it has a total of $5$ atoms.
Let the oxidation state of $C$ in $C_3{O}_2$ be $x$.
The oxidation state of $C$ is $3x-4=0$ or, $x=\frac{4}{3}$ (since the compound is neutral, sum of oxidation states is equated to zero).