5CH3C(=O)H (supposed to be an aldehyde group) + 2MnO4- + 6H+ --> 5CH3C(=O)OH (a

Question

5CH3C(=O)H (supposed to be an aldehyde group) + 2MnO4- + 6H+ --> 5CH3C(=O)OH (a carboxyl group) + 2Mn 2+ +3 H2O. I'm supposed to tell which is the oxidizing agent and which is the reducing agent on the left side of the reaction. Oxidizing agents cause reduction..and reducing agents cause oxidation, but I can't understand why MnO4- is the oxidizing group and CH3CHO is the reducing agent. Can you help me assign the oxidation numbers to the compounds. The aldehyde and the carboxylic things don't have charges on them..am I supposed to consider only the charge on the oxygen that is getting added? And then...what is the charge on Mn...+3 or +7....I didn't think it would be +7..that's like unheard of..?

Explanation / Answer

Mn changes from Mn7+ to Mn2+, so it is an oxidising agent CH3C(=O)H is a reducing agent

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