91Ó°ÊÓ

Ethane can be converted into an aldehyde and an alcohol (shown below): (a) Explain why this is an example of oxidation. (b) Which is the more oxidized form of ethane, the aldehyde or the alcohol? (Hint: Assign oxidation states to all atoms).

(a) Use the following results to arrange the four metals, \(\mathrm{W}, \mathrm{X}, \mathrm{Y}, \mathrm{Z}\) in the vertical column on the right from the most active (at the top) to least active (on the bottom). \(\mathrm{W}+\mathrm{X}^{+} \rightarrow \mathrm{W}^{+}+\mathrm{X}\) most active \(\mathrm{X}+\mathrm{Z}^{+} \rightarrow \mathrm{X}^{+}+\mathrm{Z}\) \(\mathrm{Y}^{+}+\mathrm{Z} \rightarrow\) no reaction \(\mathrm{X}+\mathrm{Y}^{+} \rightarrow \mathrm{X}^{+}+\mathrm{Y}\) least active (b) Based on your series in part a, circle ALL the reactions below that you would expect to occur spontaneously as written. Explain. \(\mathrm{W}^{+}+\mathrm{Y} \rightarrow \mathrm{W}+\mathrm{Y}^{+} \quad \mathrm{W}^{+}+\mathrm{Z} \rightarrow \mathrm{W}+\mathrm{Z}^{+}\)

Consider the perchlorate \(\left(\mathrm{ClO}_{4}^{-}\right)\) ion. (a) Assign oxidation states to all of the atoms in perchlorate. (b) Explain why the chlorine atom in perchlorate does not follow the halide rule. (c) Do you think perchlorate would be a powerful oxidizing agent or a powerful reducing agent? Explain. (d) Would it be possible to have an even higher oxidation state for the \(C 1\) atom in some other compound? Explain. (Hint: Chlorine is in group VIIA).