Manganese commonly forms Mn2+ Mn4+ Mn7+ in introductory ionic compounds.
| Element | Manganese |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Mn |
| Atomic number | 25 |
| Common ionic charge | +2, +4, +7 |
| Common ions | Mn2+, Mn4+, Mn7+ |
Images are used as visual references; charge rules still depend on the compound.
Manganese is [Ar]3d5 4s2. Losing the two 4s electrons leaves the half-filled d5 configuration — a stability sweet spot that makes Mn2+ the default. From there, oxygen can pull manganese stepwise all the way to +7, where all seven valence electrons are engaged.
This is a classroom reference range, not an exhaustive list of all oxidation states.
Confusing manganese (Mn) with magnesium (Mg). Beyond the similar names, magnesium is always +2 while manganese merely defaults to +2 — MnO2 and KMnO4 have no magnesium counterparts. Check the symbol before assigning charge.
K is +1, four O are -8, so Mn = +7. At its maximum state manganese is a voracious electron acceptor — which is exactly why permanganate is a go-to oxidizer for titrations and water treatment.
Manganese chloride
Mn2+ balances chloride ions.
Manganese oxide
Manganese can form oxides where total positive and negative charge balances.
As Mn7+ gains electrons and drops to nearly colorless Mn2+, the purple vanishes. The endpoint announces itself when one extra drop stays pink — a self-indicating reaction.
It starts at +4 in MnO2 and steps down toward +3 as the battery discharges, absorbing the electrons your device pushes through the circuit.
Barely — its solutions are the palest pink. The half-filled d5 arrangement makes the usual light-absorbing electron jumps 'spin-forbidden,' so almost no visible light is absorbed.
Combine positive and negative ions so the total charge is zero — or let the ionic compound calculator do the crossing for you. The full chart lives on the periodic table with charges.
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