lead prefers to form diavalent compounds.why
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Chemistry
Why does lead prefer to form divalent compounds?
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Answered October 28, 2012 12:08PM
As you go down group 14 the stability of the +2 oxidation state increase relative to the +4. The same is true in group 13 where the stability of the +1 state increase relative to the +3. This is sometimes called the inert pair effect, suggesting that the s electrons are somehow reluctant to participate in bonding.
A better explanation is that the bond energies decrease with increasing atomic size and this is insufficient to compensate for the extra energy required to involve the s electrons
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