The most common oxidation state of lanthanoid elements is +3. Which of the following is likely to deviate easily from +3 oxidation state?

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KollegeApply · Accepted Answer

Ce (At. no. 58) Explanation: The most common oxidation state of lanthanoids is +3. However, cerium (Ce) can easily deviate from +3 and show a +4 oxidation state. Cerium \ce{(Ce^{3+} -> Ce^{4+})} is stable because the Ce4+ ion has an empty 4f orbital (4f0), which is a stable electronic configuration. Therefore, cerium readily shows +4 oxidation state in addition to +3.

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