What are the oxidation states of oxygen?

1 Answer
anor277
Jul 3, 2016

#O: -II, -I, 0, +I, +II#.

Explanation:

Obviously, the #-II# oxidation state is most common. In the #"peroxide"# linkage, i.e. #RO-OR#, #HO-OH#, in which the #O-O# is readily cleaved, the oxidation state is #-I#

Of course, oxygen gas is zerovalent (and in ozone, #""^(-)O-O^(+)=O,# #-I, +I, 0#. In #OF_2#, clearly #O# takes a #+II# oxidation state. Why clearly?

In #F-O-O-F# oxygen takes a #+I# oxidation state. That is truly something I would not want to handle (and they call it #"FOOF"# for its reactivity!).

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