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Between $\ce{EuCl3}$, $\ce{RuCl2}$, and $\ce{VCl}$, order in increasing stability.

I don't know if this is a dumb question and if the answer is blatantly obvious, but I don't understand how to "solve" this question. Is there a rule that determines the stability of chloride salts / any salt in general that can be applied by just referring to a periodic table?

(My rationale for this problem was that Eu and Ru have 3+ and 2+ charges, respectively, and since Eu's 3+ oxidation state would empty both its s-orbital and d-orbitals and Ru's 2+ state would empty its s-orbitals, the complex would be able to form (Just to show that I've done work) but that honestly seems obviously wrong as well.)

This is not an HW question.

Nilay Ghosh
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phi2k
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  • Vanadium doesn't seem to exist in the +1 oxidation state. – Tan Yong Boon Dec 28 '17 at 08:13
  • Unless it's in some sort of organometallic complex. Definitely not a simple chloride salt. – Oscar Lanzi Dec 28 '17 at 20:30
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    "Stability" needs to be defined, it seems it's one of more abused words. – Mithoron Dec 28 '17 at 22:34
  • I guess it would be like "be able to exist at room temperature without rapidly decomposing" or something like that, I don't know. The answer is that EuCl3 and RuCl2 are both "stable" but VCl isn't. The question is why is this so and how are we able to tell so quickly. – phi2k Dec 28 '17 at 22:56

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