What is the oxidation state of carbon in cyclic C2O3?

1 Answer
anor277
Oct 29, 2016

As far as I know, this molecule is unknown.

Explanation:

As an hypothetical entity, each carbon atom has an oxidation state of +III.

Here, I assumed (reasonably) that the oxidation state of oxygen was −II.

Learned later that this is the cyclic anhydride of oxalic acid, i.e. HO2C−CO2H. It has a fleeting existence, and is a gleam in a spectroscopist's eye.

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