However, it must be kept in mind that according to the current IUPAC definition, the oxidation state is not an actual property of a substance but instead a charge 'an atom might be imagined to have', specifically: Ionic bonds which isn't true in the case of thiosulfates. On the basis of chemical compounds in which there are Such a differenceĬould occur due to the calibration curve which has been done Oxidation state received from XANES measurements, forĮxample the apparent oxidation states of sulfur in thiosulfates, There is a difference between formal and apparent On the other hand, Determination of Changes in Sulfur Oxidation States

The revised values give a far better understanding of the role of thiosulfate as an energy substrate for bacteria because intra-molecular electron transfer, which generates metabolic energy with the production of sulfide and sulfate, cannot be envisaged with the previous view that the oxidation states were −2 and +6 for the outer and inner sulfur atoms of thiosulfateĪlthough both of the above articles are by the same author.

The oxidation states were established for the outer and inner sulfur atoms of thiosulfate as −1 and +5, respectively. Our results based on XANES spectroscopy indicate that the two different sulfur atoms in thiosulfate have charge densities corresponding to +5 and −1 oxidation statesĪnd in Using X-ray absorption to probe sulfur oxidation states in complex molecules According to Oxidation state of sulfur in thiosulfate and implications for anaerobic energy metabolismĪccording to the currently held view, the two sulfur atoms of thiosulfate exist in the oxidation state of sulfate (+6) and sulfide (−2) and do not change their respective oxidation states upon disproportionation.

Sulfur ion charge