Elements that can be oxidizing AND reducing agents?

[RobotUnicorn]

Hello people, so there is a gr.11 chem question that i've been struggling with...

a) Identify three oxidizing agents (other than Fe2+) from the redox table that can also react as reducing agents.
b)try to explain this suprising behavior.

so, any ideas? i have a redox table in my textbook, but i am not sure how to determine the chemicals that behave as oxidizing and reducing agents...Any help is appreciated o:)

[mcbud]

Start from the definition of reducing and oxidizing agent, and if you understand why Fe2+ can be both a reducing and an oxidizing agent depending on the reaction, you can easily answer that question.

[ajkoer]

As several of the halogens compounds undergo REDOX reactions with themselves (so called disproportionation), one can include hypochlorites (or Chlorine), hypobromites (or Bromine) and hypoidoites (or Iodine).


Examples:

Cl2 + H2O <----> HCl + HOCl

I2 + H2O <---> HI + HIO

3 NaClO ---> 2 NaCl + NaClO3

3 HIO ---> 2 HI + HIO3

Other candidates, H2O2 and SO2.