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JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3rx043

Carbon suboxide has the structure $O = C = C = C = O$ . Using electronegativity (O > C), the individual oxidation numbers of the terminal carbons and the central carbon are respectively

A $+ 2$ and $0$
B $+ 4/3$ each (all three the same)
C $+ 1$ and $+ 2$
D $+ 4$ and $- 4$

Answer: A

Each terminal C has two bonds to O, giving

+ 2

, and two bonds to C, giving 0. The central C has only C neighbours, so

0

. The sum is

+ 2 + 0 + 2 = + 4

, matching

C X_{3} O X_{2}

with O at

- 2

; the average is

4/3

.

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