When potassium permanganate is heated at 513 K , it decomposes to yield a major green-coloured compound. What is the change in the oxidation state of manganese and the corresponding change in magnetic behaviour from the reactant to this green product?

Step-by-step solution

Potassium permanganate ( KMnO ₄ ) on heating at 513 K decomposes as follows: 2 KMnO ₄ 513 K K ₂ MnO ₄ + MnO ₂ + O ₂ The reactant, KMnO ₄ , contains manganese in the +7 oxidation state. Its electronic configuration is 3d^0 , which has no unpaired electrons, making it diamagnetic. The major green-coloured product is potassium manganate ( K ₂ MnO ₄ ). In this compound, manganese is in the +6 oxidation state. Its electronic configuration is 3d^1 , which contains one unpaired electron, making it paramagnetic. Therefore,