Manganese and valence layer [closed]








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Why does manganese make $4$ bonds in $\ce{H\_2MnO\_4}$ when it has only two electrons in the valence shell?




There are two things wrong with the premise. First, no one atom really makes any covalent bonds. A covalent bond requires at least two atoms, more if orbitals are delocalized. Second, manganese has not only two but seven valence electrons, which are plenty for bonding covalently to as many as four oxygen atoms. The additional valence electrons come from the partially filled 3d orbitals that define all transition metals in that row of the Periodic Table.


I may also add that $\ce{H2MnO4}$ does not exist. $\ce{MnO4^{2-}}$ is known only as salts which are in turn stable only in highly alkaline environments.


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