What is the Oxidation Number of Carbon in CN⁻

What is the oxidation number of Carbon in CN⁻?

Answer

The oxidation number or oxidation state is the number of electrons in an atom that gains or loses its electron to attain the octet rule. When an atom gains an electron, then the atom’s oxidation number is represented in negative. In contrast, when an atom loses an electron, then the atom’s oxidation number will be positive. If an atom neither loses nor gains an electron, the atom’s oxidation number will be zero.

The above-given compound is Cyanide (CN⁻). The carbon is bonded to the nitrogen atom with triple bonds, and the charge of the cyanide atom is -1. The nitrogen atom has 5 electrons in the outermost shell. It needs 3 electrons to attain the octet state, and the oxidation number is -3.

Let us take the Carbon’s oxidation number as x

The oxidation number of a Carbon atom and the oxidation number of a Nitrogen atom is equal to the charge of the Cyanide ion.

⇒x+(−3)=−1⇒x=+2

Thus, we can assume that the oxidation number of a carbon atom in a Cyanide ion (CN⁻) is +2.

Cyanide

• Cyanide has a wide range of applications in the manufacturing industry.

• It is used in gold and silver mining to dissolve ores and elements,

• It is also employed in electroplating.