Why do metals in metal carbonyls have 0 OS?

  • Thread starter Thread starter takando12
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Metal Metals Os
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Metals in metal carbonyls exhibit a 0 oxidation state (OS) due to the nature of their bonding, which is predominantly covalent rather than ionic. This means that in metal carbonyl complexes, such as nickel carbonyl (Ni(CO)4), the metal does not donate electrons as it would in ionic compounds. The discussion clarifies that while the oxidation state is 0 in these complexes, it does not imply that the metals are incapable of donating electrons in other chemical contexts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of oxidation states in coordination chemistry
  • Familiarity with covalent versus ionic bonding
  • Knowledge of metal carbonyl complexes, such as nickel carbonyl
  • Basic principles of electron donation in chemical bonding
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties and applications of metal carbonyl complexes
  • Study the differences between covalent and ionic bonding in coordination compounds
  • Explore the role of oxidation states in transition metal chemistry
  • Learn about the electron donation mechanisms in various metal complexes
USEFUL FOR

Chemistry students, inorganic chemists, and researchers interested in coordination chemistry and the behavior of metal carbonyls.

takando12
Messages
122
Reaction score
5
That's pretty much it. Why do they have 0 Oxidation state?
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
Why not?
 
Borek said:
Why not?
Oxidation number is like a hypothetical value for the charge of the individual species if a compound was considered ionic(atleast that's what i understood).
So when we say the OS of metals in metal carbonyls is 0, are we saying that they can never donate any electrons? I am confused , i don't understand.
 
takando12 said:
if a compound was considered ionic

Carbonyls aren't ionic.

takando12 said:
So when we say the OS of metals in metal carbonyls is 0, are we saying that they can never donate any electrons?

Why 'never'? They don't in carbonyls, they do in other compounds.
 

Similar threads

Group I/II Metal oxides always basic in aqueous solution -- why?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Sc-Cr Metal complexes open benzene ring
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
912
Reactive metal wires in a fuel oxidizer mixture
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
1K
Explanation of the spectrochemical series of transition metal ions
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
7K
Why Do Ligands Donate Electrons to Electropositive Transition Metals?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
Why does having 8 valence electrons make an element inert?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
1K
Electron transfer and oxidation state
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Q: What is the role of antibonding orbitals in CO bonding with metals?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Why do the d, f orbitals of transition metals have less reactivity?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Why Do Metals Bond in Space? Investigating the Casimir Effect
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K