Give reasons for the following :
(a) Transition metals show variable oxidation states.
(b) Eo value for (Zn2+/Zn) is negative while that of (Cu2+/Cu) is positive.
(c) Higher oxidation state of Mn with fluorine is +4 whereas with oxygen is +7.
(a) It is because their d-orbitals are incompletely filled.
(b) Eo[Zn/Zn2+] is negative because of the conversion of gives it a filled d5 configuration which is very stable whereas, conversion of Cu to Cu2+ does not give any extra stabity, hence it has positive Eo value.
(c)This is because in case of oxygen, Mn forms pπ-dπ multiple bonding using 2p orbitals of oxygen and 3d orbitals of Mn.
With F, Mn shows +4 because of the single bond formation caused by the unavailability of 2p orbitals in F for multiple bonding.