Explain by giving suitable reason: (a) Co(II)Co(II) is stable in aqueous solution but in the presence of complexing agent it is readily oxidised.
Although Co(II)Co(II) is stable in aqueous solutions, it is oxidised to Co(III)Co(III)in the presence of strong field complexing agents. Despite the fact that Cobalt's third ionisation energy is large, the higher number of crystal field stability field ligands overcomes it. In addition, Co3 + Co3 + ions are more likely than Co2 + Co2 + ions to form coordination complexes.
