Can halogens show -3 or -5 or -7 oxidation state. Why? [closed]








**Closed.** This question is [off-topic](/help/closed-questions). It is not currently accepting answers.
 
 






---








 **Homework questions** must demonstrate some effort to understand the underlying concepts. For help asking a good homework question, see: [How do I ask homework questions on Chemistry Stack Exchange?](https://chemistry.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/141/how-do-i-ask-homework-questions-on-chemistry-stack-exchange)




Closed last year.








[Improve this question](/posts/163928/edit) 



I mean can we think it like if the electrons get excited into the d orbitals and because there are now more than one unpaired electron, why does it only loose them and why don't they accept more than one electrons?




Different atoms/molecules/ions combine to gain more stability always. Any specie will not ever accept or gain electrons naturally that will lead to increase in their potential energy (i.e., less stability). Thus, halogens only need one electron to complete their octet and attain noble gas configuration. So, they always prefer to accept one electron only. If anyhow they accepts more than one electron, then their Potential energy will increase leading to the loss of electron, and thus they will again have accepted one electron in overall process. Thus, we always say that halogens can only accept one electron naturally.


 1