The coordination number and oxidation number of the central atom in [Mn(CO)₄Br₂] are ________ and ________, respectively. A)4, +1 B)6, +1 C)5, +2 D)4, +2 E)6, +2

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The coordination number of the central atom can be found by counting the number of ligands attached to it. Here, the central atom is Mn and it is attached to 6 ligands (CO and five sulfur-containing ligands). So, the coordination number is 6.
To find the oxidation number of Mn, we can first add up the oxidation numbers of all the ligands, which is zero in this case since CO and sulfur-containing ligands have a neutral charge. Then, since the overall charge of the complex is zero, the sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms in the complex must also be zero. There are two bromine atoms in the complex, each with an oxidation number of -1 (since they are in a compound with a metal), and there are multiple sulfur-containing ligands with varying oxidation states. Therefore, to balance out the overall charge, the Mn atom must have an oxidation state of +2. So, the answer is E.

The Coordination Number and Oxidation Number of the Central Atom