[Ansh]

So i have studying inorganic chemistry for about 2-3 months. i have noticed that most of the reactions can be broken down into logical steps which can be added to give a whole final chemical equation.

for example: In KMnO4 + H2SO4 ,  Potassium permangante first breaks into K2O and MnO and 5[ O ]. K2O AND MnO being basic metal oxides then react with H2SO4 in an acid- base reaction. And when we add all these steps together after balancing each one of them individually, we get the overall equation.

I dont know if it is how the reaction proceeds or if it is the right way to do it. But it helps me learn all those reactions easily. There's this one reaction that i have been stuck on for past 3 days. the reaction is:
KMnO4 + 2KOH -----> 2KMnO4 + H2O + [ O ]

I was wondering if this reaction had any mechanism. I called my chemistry teacher and he said that it proceeds in a way similar to how an  Alcohol reacts with SOCl2 to produce an alkyl halide. He said that OH^- here acts like a nucleophile. He said that if you can write the organic reaction, you can figure out the inorganic one. But sadly, I have no clue how Mn jumps from +7 oxidation state to +6 oxidation state.

It would be very helpful if you guys could give any input. Thank you or reading this.

[mjc123]

I assume you mean K₂MnO₄ on the RHS, not 2KMnO₄.

[Ansh]

oh right. made a mistake. it should be K₂MnO₄ sorry

[Babcock_Hall]

@OP,

You wrote, "Potassium permanganate first breaks into K2O and MnO and 5[ O ]." By mechanism I mean a series of intermediates that proceeds from the reactants to the products.  Do you  have a textbook or literature citation for the mechanism of this reaction?  Can you clarify what you mean by [ O ]?  I have to wonder whether or not what you wrote is more of a formalism of some kind, as opposed to a mechanism.