[shefv]

I know that transition metals usually have more than one charge because of the d orbital. Can someone please explain how this works exactly?

Can the same be said for the rare earth metals since they have the f and d orbitals?

[Ranowa]

Think about it- why do most other elements NOT have multiple oxidation states? Because, each electron removed/added takes a certain amount of energy. At some point, the next electron will take a disproportionately larger amount of energy to remove, and unless the rewards are great enough, it won't take any more electrons. Transition elements, however, are more complicated. There is no straightforward, remove x amount of electrons, and then the next electron takes far more energy.

There are multiple paths for a transition metal to reach stability. It can remove all (n-1)d electrons, it can remove all (n-1)d and all ns electrons, and most also have the complication of high and low spin complexes, which are determined solely by what compound the metal is bonded to. Different states are stable in a high spin complex than a low, and vice versa. Each now configuration that leads to relative stability is a new possible oxidation number.

The same can also be said for rare earth metals, yes. However, most compounds involving use of the f orbitals decay rapidly, so this branch of chemistry is not yet well understood.

[shefv]

Thank you!

Are there certain transition metals are more likely to exist in different charged states?

I mean that the ones with d5 and d10 are more stable - so can we say they are less likely to ionize into different charged forms than the others?

[Ranowa]

Actually, it works a little bit differently than that. Yes, some transition metals have more different oxidation states than others, but this is another case where transition metals are just more complicated than they seem on the surface. Mn and Cr, both of which are d5, actually have some of the most possibilities. This is where high/low spin complexes play the most important role. d4, d5, d6, d7, d8 all have different spin complex possibilities. For d1, d2, d3, d9, and d10, multiple oxidation states arise only out of use of different use of d or s electrons. For this purpose, all the different spin complex means is how many electrons are in the t2g, or stabilizing orbital, and how many are in the destabilizing orbital, eg; the different spin complexes arrange the electrons differently. Some states, which would not be energetically stable in one spin complex, are in the other spin complex.

This is the reason teachers advise students to just memorize the oxidation states they'll see most likely for transition metals- working them out requires a deeper understanding of the subject and a lot of time

[Ciubba]

Actually, it works a little bit differently than that. Yes, some transition metals have more different oxidation states than others, but this is another case where transition metals are just more complicated than they seem on the surface. Mn and Cr, both of which are d5, actually have some of the most possibilities. This is where high/low spin complexes play the most important role. d4, d5, d6, d7, d8 all have different spin complex possibilities. For d1, d2, d3, d9, and d10, multiple oxidation states arise only out of use of different use of d or s electrons. For this purpose, all the different spin complex means is how many electrons are in the t2g, or stabilizing orbital, and how many are in the destabilizing orbital, eg; the different spin complexes arrange the electrons differently. Some states, which would not be energetically stable in one spin complex, are in the other spin complex.

This is the reason teachers advise students to just memorize the oxidation states they'll see most likely for transition metals- working them out requires a deeper understanding of the subject and a lot of time

I though that there was only one energetically favored way to fill in all d8 ions...