Comments on: Calculating the oxidation state of a carbon https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/ Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:06:19 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: James Ashenhurst https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-730797 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:34:28 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-730797 In reply to Hadi Alemara.

Change things up a bit. Imagine switching the C-OH bond for a C-CH3 bond. In this case, the carbon would only be attached to other carbons and therefore have an oxidation state of zero.

Now break the C-CH3 bond and replace with C-OH. The oxidation state should increase by 1.

]]> By: Hadi Alemara https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-730010 Thu, 13 Mar 2025 22:15:49 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-730010 Hello, what would be the oxidation state of the carbon attached to the OH in a phenol? My book says +1, but wouldn’t it be +2 because the C is attached to 2 C’s (1 double bonded), then the OH?

]]> By: James Ashenhurst https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-724441 Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:06:55 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-724441 In reply to Sabyasachi Choudhury.

You could even get more granular than that! Even among sp3 hybridized carbons, a CF3 group is more electron withdrawing than a C[(SiCH3)3]3 group. Would that necessitate a change in oxidation state?

I think the solution is not to take oxidation state too seriously. It’s really just a book-keeping metric, like formal charge. If you want true charge densities, make some calculations and that will tell you everything you need to know.

]]> By: Sabyasachi Choudhury https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-724295 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 07:43:25 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-724295 Why don’t we account for electronegativity differences caused by hybridization? Like an sp carbon attached to an sp3 carbon, the sp C is way more electronegative. So shouldn’t we give the sp C a -1 OS, and sp3 C a +1 OS?

]]> By: Kshitij https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-620814 Wed, 16 Feb 2022 08:32:03 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-620814 Hey, can you provide me with calculation of oxidation state of nitrogen in a nitrene and nitreone for that matter. Please sir, I am very confused in this .

]]> By: James Ashenhurst https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-600690 Thu, 06 May 2021 17:46:00 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-600690 In reply to DNU.

Does not change, because it does not change the number of bonds to carbon.

]]> By: DNU https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-600565 Tue, 04 May 2021 17:09:35 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-600565 what if the carbonyl group is protonated? what will be the oxidation number of the carbon carrying carbonyl group?

]]> By: James Ashenhurst https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-597245 Fri, 29 Jan 2021 04:39:25 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-597245 In reply to Olivier Crouslé PhD.

Yes, the dreaded “Texas” carbon has even made its way into papers published by esteemed Harvard professors…

]]> By: Olivier Crouslé PhD https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-593166 Tue, 05 Jan 2021 23:18:36 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-593166 35 yrs of scientific studies before realizing that carbon could have 9 oxidation state! Thx. But it has always 4 ‘legs’ (unsaturated). I corrected a 5 legs carbon in a PhD draft appendices once!

]]> By: James Ashenhurst https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/07/25/calculating-the-oxidation-state-of-a-carbon/#comment-586247 Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:01:03 +0000 https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/?p=1773#comment-586247 In reply to Ricardo.

Thank you – fixed.

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