Question:
Why does fluorine not show disproportionation reaction?
Solution:
Fluorine has the highest electronegativity in the entire periodic table with EN value of 3.98; this means that out of 4 bonded electrons 3.98 fractions of it is shared with
fluorine. Thus the ability to attract an electron from other elements is more pronounced than the atom with which it is bonded. And as fluorine has the highest reduction
potential (E°cell =2.87) in the spectrochemical series, it cannot undergo oxidation itself. Thus cannot display disproportionation reactions.