Which oxychloride has maximum pH?

Options

A. `NaCIO`
B. `NaCIO_(2)`
C. `NaCIO_(3)`
D. `NaCIO_(4)`

Answer

To determine which oxychloride has the maximum pH, we need to analyze the oxidation states of chlorine in the given oxychlorides. The higher the oxidation state of chlorine, the more acidic the compound tends to be, and conversely, the lower the oxidation state, the more basic the compound is.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Oxychlorides**: The oxychlorides we need to analyze are NaClO (sodium hypochlorite), NaClO2 (sodium chlorite), NaClO3 (sodium chlorate), and NaClO4 (sodium perchlorate).

2. **Determine the Oxidation State of Chlorine**:
- For **NaClO**:
- Let the oxidation state of Cl be \( x \).
- The equation is: \( +1 + x - 2 = 0 \) (where +1 is from Na and -2 is from O).
- Solving gives \( x = +1 \).

- For **NaClO2**:
- The equation is: \( +1 + x - 4 = 0 \).
- Solving gives \( x = +3 \).

- For **NaClO3**:
- The equation is: \( +1 + x - 6 = 0 \).
- Solving gives \( x = +5 \).

- For **NaClO4**:
- The equation is: \( +1 + x - 8 = 0 \).
- Solving gives \( x = +7 \).

3. **Compare the Oxidation States**:
- The oxidation states of chlorine in the oxychlorides are:
- NaClO: +1
- NaClO2: +3
- NaClO3: +5
- NaClO4: +7

4. **Determine Acidity and Basicity**:
- As the oxidation state increases, the acidic character increases:
- NaClO (+1) is the least acidic and most basic.
- NaClO4 (+7) is the most acidic and least basic.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Since NaClO has the lowest oxidation state (+1), it is the most basic oxychloride. Therefore, it will have the maximum pH.

### Final Answer:
The oxychloride with the maximum pH is **NaClO** (sodium hypochlorite).

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