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Abid Hasan Rafi

Oxidation number of fluorine in HOF compound

Don Eamon  Follow
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronegativity#Allen_electronegativity
4.193 F
3.610 O
2.300 H

The book "F Fluorine: Compounds with Oxygen and Nitrogen" on page 142 reports "polemics on the oxidation number of F in HOF".

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Bob Mathews  Follow
Hi
Request if someone can clarify my queries.

rgds
Sameer

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Bill Walker  Follow
Where on Earth did you get the idea that F was +1 in hypofluorous acid?

Oxidation state (number) is based entirely on electronegativities and assumes complete transfer of electrons.  It's not reality but an accounting term (as Borek mentioned) useful in balancing REDOX reactions. 
  EN H = 2.20
  EN O = 3.44
  EN F = 3.98

in HOF
  H = +1     (O with the higher EN gets an electron from H making H = +1)
  F = -1      (F with the higher EN takes an electron from O making F = -1
  O = 0       (O takes an electron and gives one away  or if you prefer,
                   overall HOF has 0 net charge   +1 (H) + x (O) - 1(F) = 0    x=0)

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Diana Smith  Follow
Quote from:
How fluorine has the oxidation number +1 in HOF compound

Does it? I would assign -1.

Please note ON are just an approximation, an accounting device, apart from some highly ionic compounds they don't reflect the real nature of atoms in compounds. Many people think about ON as equivalent to "charge on atom" but in fact typically there is no such charge nor other physical property of the atom that can be measured and related to the ON. They do help counting electrons in redox reactions, that's all.

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David A Kelly  Follow
IUPAC 2016 definition:
The oxidation state of an atom is the charge of this atom after ionic approximation of its heteronuclear bonds.

Allen electronegativities should be used.

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