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Question

Give a reason for the following:

PCl5 acts as an oxidising agent.


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Solution

PCl5 acts as an oxidising agent:-

  • At first, we have to what is phosphorus's oxidation state.
  • The oxidation state of chlorine as we know is -1.
  • Let its oxidation state be x,

x+(-5)=0x-5=0x=5

  • Now we know this fact that oxidation state of phosphorus can be only +3 and+5, and here its+5.
  • As a result, we can see that phosphorus cannot donate electrons, hence it cannot acts as a reducing agent.
  • Thus +5 oxidation state of phosphorus pentachloride PCl5 is more stable than +3, which results PCl5in acting as an oxidising agent.

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