Question
Chemistry Question on d -and f -Block Elements
Name the members of the lanthanoid series which exhibit +4 oxidation state and those which exhibit +2 oxidation state. Try to correlate this type of behavior with the electronic configurations of these elements.
Answer
The lanthanides that exhibit +2 and +4 states are shown in the given table. The atomic numbers of the elements are given in the parenthesis.
| +2 | +4 |
|---|---|
| Nd(60) | Ce(58) |
| Sm(62) | Pr(59) |
| Eu(63) | Nd(60) |
| Tm(69) | Tb(65) |
| Yb(70) | Dy(66) |
Ce after forming Ce4+ attains a stable electronic configuration of [Xe].
Tb after forming Tb4+ attains a stable electronic configuration of [Xe] 4f7.
Eu after forming Eu2+ attains a stable electronic configuration of [Xe] 4f7.
Yb after forming Yb2+ attains a stable electronic configuration of [Xe] 4f14.