Reaction mechanism of redox reaction So on the data, it said that we can reduce potassium permanganate by utilizing oxalic acid, thus producing carbon dioxide.
But can anyone propose a reaction mechanism of how the whole reaction happens, and how did oxalic acid break up into $\ce{CO2}$?
Thanks in advance!
I think it would go through a manganese-oxalate complex (oxalate is a good ligand for many metals), and that would fragment via a reaction such as:



The Mn(V) species would likely disproportionate to manganese dioxide and permanganate.