1.why transition metals and their compounds act as a catalyst?
2.The outer electronic configurations of two members of the lanthanide series as follows:4f15d16s2 and 4f75d06s2.what are their atomic numbers?predict the oxidation states exhibited by these elements in their compounds?
Transition elements: Those elements have incompletely filled d-orbitals.
- Transition elements act as good catalyst in chemical reaction. The most important reason transition metals are good catalysts is that they can lend electrons or withdraw electrons from the reagent, depending on the nature of the reaction. The ability of transition metals to be in a variety of oxidation states, the ability to interchange between the oxidation states and the ability to form complexes with the reagents and be a good source for electrons make transition metals good catalysts.
- Cerium element has electronic configuration [Xe] 4f1 5d1 6S2. Atomic number of Cerium is 58. It shows +3 and +4 oxidation states.
- Europium has electronic configuration [Xe] 4f7 5d0 6S2. Atomic number of Europium is 63. It shows +2 and +3 oxidation states.