Which of the following is the most covalent in nature ?

Options

A. `I_2O_4`
B. `I_2O_5`
C. `I_2O_7`
D. `I_2O_9`

Answer

To determine which of the given compounds is the most covalent in nature, we need to analyze the oxidation states of the central atom (iodine in this case) in each compound. The higher the oxidation state, the more covalent the compound tends to be. Let's go through the options step by step.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Compounds**: The compounds given are:
- A) I₂O₄
- B) I₂O₅
- C) I₂O₇
- D) I₂O₉

2. **Determine the Oxidation State of Iodine**:
- **For I₂O₄**:
- Let the oxidation state of iodine be \( x \).
- The equation is: \( 2x + (-2) \times 4 = 0 \)
- Simplifying gives: \( 2x - 8 = 0 \) or \( 2x = 8 \) → \( x = +4 \).

- **For I₂O₅**:
- Let the oxidation state of iodine be \( x \).
- The equation is: \( 2x + (-2) \times 5 = 0 \)
- Simplifying gives: \( 2x - 10 = 0 \) or \( 2x = 10 \) → \( x = +5 \).

- **For I₂O₇**:
- Let the oxidation state of iodine be \( x \).
- The equation is: \( 2x + (-2) \times 7 = 0 \)
- Simplifying gives: \( 2x - 14 = 0 \) or \( 2x = 14 \) → \( x = +7 \).

- **For I₂O₉**:
- Let the oxidation state of iodine be \( x \).
- The equation is: \( 2x + (-2) \times 9 = 0 \)
- Simplifying gives: \( 2x - 18 = 0 \) or \( 2x = 18 \) → \( x = +9 \).

3. **Evaluate the Existence of Compounds**:
- I₂O₄ is known to exist as an ionic compound.
- I₂O₅ is a covalent compound and has an oxidation state of +5.
- I₂O₇ and I₂O₉ are theoretical and do not exist in stable forms.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Among the compounds analyzed, I₂O₅ has the highest oxidation state of iodine (+5) and is known to exist as a covalent compound.
- Therefore, the most covalent compound in nature from the given options is **I₂O₅**.

### Final Answer:
The most covalent compound in nature is **I₂O₅**.