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Why does iron react with iodine to form FeI2 not FeI3?
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+ Chemical reactions
+ Iron
+ Chemistry
+ Iodine
+ Organic chemistry
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Kimber Stout
Why does iron react with iodine to form FeI2 not FeI3?
The short answer is that Iodine is not a sufficiently powerful oxidising agent to oxidise Iron to the level of III.
A slightly longer answer is that Iodine is not as electronegative as e.g. Chlorine, Flourine or Oxygen and hence cannot attract the third electron away from the Iron molecule.
And that brings us to the ionisation energy of Iron. presumably the third ionisastion energy is of such a level that there is insufficient energy released during the reaction to enable the Iron to lose its third electron.
The short answer is that Iodine is not a sufficiently powerful oxidising agent to oxidise Iron to the level of III.
A slightly longer answer is that Iodine is not as electronegative as e.g. Chlorine, Flourine or Oxygen and hence cannot attract the third electron away from the Iron molecule.
And that brings us to the ionisation energy of Iron. presumably the third ionisastion energy is of such a level that there is insufficient energy released during the reaction to enable the Iron to lose its third electron.
Iron is a transition metal with an electron configuration of [Ar] 3d6 4s2. Iodine is a non-metallic element with an electron configuration of [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p5. The reason why iron reacts with iodine to form FeI2 is because the iron atom loses 2 of its 3d electrons to each 5p shell of the two iodine atoms. The resulting electron configurations are as follows:
Fe - [Ar] 3d4 4s2, with a +2 charge
I - [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 in each atom, with each atom having a -1 charge.
The iron atom's outer shell, 4s2 is complete. Therefore the 2 electrons are taken from the 3d shell. The two iodine atoms gain 1 electron each in their 5p shell.
Iron is a transition metal with an electron configuration of [Ar] 3d6 4s2. Iodine is a non-metallic element with an electron configuration of [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p5. The reason why iron reacts with iodine to form FeI2 is because the iron atom loses 2 of its 3d electrons to each 5p shell of the two iodine atoms. The resulting electron configurations are as follows:
Fe - [Ar] 3d4 4s2, with a +2 charge
I - [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 in each atom, with each atom having a -1 charge.
The iron atom's outer shell, 4s2 is complete. Therefore the 2 electrons are taken from the 3d shell. The two iodine atoms gain 1 electron each in their 5p shell.
The short answer is that Iodine is not a sufficiently powerful oxidising agent to oxidise Iron to the level of III.
A slightly longer answer is that Iodine is not as electronegative as e.g. Chlorine, Flourine or Oxygen and hence cannot attract the third electron away from the Iron molecule.
And that brings us to the ionisation energy of Iron. presumably the third ionisastion energy is of such a level that there is insufficient energy released during the reaction to enable the Iron to lose its third electron.
The short answer is that Iodine is not a sufficiently powerful oxidising agent to oxidise Iron to the level of III.
A slightly longer answer is that Iodine is not as electronegative as e.g. Chlorine, Flourine or Oxygen and hence cannot attract the third electron away from the Iron molecule.
And that brings us to the ionisation energy of Iron. presumably the third ionisastion energy is of such a level that there is insufficient energy released during the reaction to enable the Iron to lose its third electron.
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Iron is a transition metal with an electron configuration of [Ar] 3d6 4s2. Iodine is a non-metallic element with an electron configuration of [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p5. The reason why iron reacts with iodine to form FeI2 is because the iron atom loses 2 of its 3d electrons to each 5p shell of the two iodine atoms. The resulting electron configurations are as follows:
Fe - [Ar] 3d4 4s2, with a +2 charge
I - [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 in each atom, with each atom having a -1 charge.
The iron atom's outer shell, 4s2 is complete. Therefore the 2 electrons are taken from the 3d shell. The two iodine atoms gain 1 electron each in their 5p shell.
I'm open to corrections if I'm wrong.
Iron is a transition metal with an electron configuration of [Ar] 3d6 4s2. Iodine is a non-metallic element with an electron configuration of [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p5. The reason why iron reacts with iodine to form FeI2 is because the iron atom loses 2 of its 3d electrons to each 5p shell of the two iodine atoms. The resulting electron configurations are as follows:
Fe - [Ar] 3d4 4s2, with a +2 charge
I - [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 in each atom, with each atom having a -1 charge.
The iron atom's outer shell, 4s2 is complete. Therefore the 2 electrons are taken from the 3d shell. The two iodine atoms gain 1 electron each in their 5p shell.
I'm open to corrections if I'm wrong.
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