Group 3 (Sc, Y, La, and Ac)

As shown in Table 23.4 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 3, 4, and 5", the observed trends in the properties of the group 3 elements are similar to those of groups 1 and 2. Due to their ns²(n − 1)d¹ valence electron configurations, the chemistry of all four elements is dominated by the +3 oxidation state formed by losing all three valence electrons. As expected based on periodic trends, these elements are highly electropositive metals and powerful reductants, with La (and Ac) being the most reactive. In keeping with their highly electropositive character, the group 3 metals react with water to produce the metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas:

Moreover, all dissolve readily in aqueous acid to produce hydrogen gas and a solution of the hydrated metal ion: M³⁺(aq).

The group 3 metals react with nonmetals to form compounds that are primarily ionic in character. For example, reacting group 3 metals with the halogens produces the corresponding trihalides: MX₃. The trifluorides are insoluble in water because of their high lattice energies, but the other trihalides are very soluble in water and behave like typical ionic metal halides. All group 3 elements react with air to form an oxide coating, and all burn in oxygen to form the so-called sesquioxides (M₂O₃), which react with H2O or CO₂ to form the corresponding hydroxides or carbonates, respectively. Commercial uses of the group 3 metals are limited, but “mischmetal,” a mixture of lanthanides containing about 40% La, is used as an additive to improve the properties of steel and make flints for cigarette lighters.

Group 4 (Ti, Zr, and Hf)

Because the elements of group 4 have a high affinity for oxygen, all three metals occur naturally as oxide ores that contain the metal in the +4 oxidation state resulting from losing all four ns²(n − 1)d² valence electrons. They are isolated by initial conversion to the tetrachlorides, as shown for Ti:

followed by reduction of the tetrachlorides with an active metal such as Mg.

In contrast to the elements of group 3, the group 4 elements have important applications. Titanium (melting point = 1668°C) is often used as a replacement for aluminum (melting point = 660°C) in applications that require high temperatures or corrosion resistance. For example, friction with the air heats the skin of supersonic aircraft operating above Mach 2.2 to temperatures near the melting point of aluminum; consequently, titanium is used instead of aluminum in many aerospace applications. The corrosion resistance of titanium is increasingly exploited in architectural applications, as shown in the chapter-opening photo. Metallic zirconium is used in UO₂-containing fuel rods in nuclear reactors, while hafnium is used in the control rods that modulate the output of high-power nuclear reactors, such as those in nuclear submarines.

Consistent with the periodic trends shown in Figure 23.2 "Some Trends in Properties of the Transition Metals", the group 4 metals become denser, higher melting, and more electropositive down the column (Table 23.4 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 3, 4, and 5"). Unexpectedly, however, the atomic radius of Hf is slightly smaller than that of Zr due to the lanthanide contraction. Because of their ns²(n − 1)d² valence electron configurations, the +4 oxidation state is by far the most important for all three metals. Only titanium exhibits a significant chemistry in the +2 and +3 oxidation states, although compounds of Ti²⁺ are usually powerful reductants. In fact, the Ti²⁺(aq) ion is such a strong reductant that it rapidly reduces water to form hydrogen gas.

Reaction of the group 4 metals with excess halogen forms the corresponding tetrahalides (MX₄), although titanium, the lightest element in the group, also forms dihalides and trihalides (X is not F). The covalent character of the titanium halides increases as the oxidation state of the metal increases because of increasing polarization of the anions by the cation as its charge-to-radius ratio increases. Thus TiCl₂ is an ionic salt, whereas TiCl₄ is a volatile liquid that contains tetrahedral molecules. All three metals react with excess oxygen or the heavier chalcogens (Y) to form the corresponding dioxides (MO₂) and dichalcogenides (MY₂). Industrially, TiO₂, which is used as a white pigment in paints, is prepared by reacting TiCl₄ with oxygen at high temperatures:

The group 4 dichalcogenides have unusual layered structures with no M–Y bonds holding adjacent sheets together, which makes them similar in some ways to graphite (Figure 23.3 "The Layered Structure of TiS"). The group 4 metals also react with hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, and boron to form hydrides (such as TiH₂), nitrides (such as TiN), carbides (such as TiC), and borides (such as TiB₂), all of which are hard, high-melting solids. Many of these binary compounds are nonstoichiometric and exhibit metallic conductivity.

Figure 23.3 The Layered Structure of TiS₂

Each titanium atom is surrounded by an octahedral arrangement of six sulfur atoms that are shared to form extended layers of atoms. Because the layers are held together by only van der Waals forces between adjacent sulfur atoms, rather than covalent bonds, the layers slide past one another relatively easily when a mechanical stress is applied.

Group 5 (V, Nb, and Ta)

Like the group 4 elements, all group 5 metals are normally found in nature as oxide ores that contain the metals in their highest oxidation state (+5). Because of the lanthanide contraction, the chemistry of Nb and Ta is so similar that these elements are usually found in the same ores.

Three-fourths of the vanadium produced annually is used in the production of steel alloys for springs and high-speed cutting tools. Adding a small amount of vanadium to steel results in the formation of small grains of V₄C₃, which greatly increase the strength and resilience of the metal, especially at high temperatures. The other major use of vanadium is as V₂O₅, an important catalyst for the industrial conversion of SO₂ to SO₃ in the contact process for the production of sulfuric acid. In contrast, Nb and Ta have only limited applications, and they are therefore produced in relatively small amounts. Although niobium is used as an additive in certain stainless steels, its primary application is in superconducting wires such as Nb₃Zr and Nb₃Ge, which are used in superconducting magnets for the magnetic resonance imaging of soft tissues. Because tantalum is highly resistant to corrosion, it is used as a liner for chemical reactors, in missile parts, and as a biologically compatible material in screws and pins for repairing fractured bones.

As indicated in Table 23.4 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 3, 4, and 5", the trends in properties of the group 5 metals are similar to those of group 4. Only vanadium, the lightest element, has any tendency to form compounds in oxidation states lower than +5. For example, vanadium is the only element in the group that forms stable halides in the lowest oxidation state (+2). All three metals react with excess oxygen, however, to produce the corresponding oxides in the +5 oxidation state (M₂O₅), in which polarization of the oxide ions by the high-oxidation-state metal is so extensive that the compounds are primarily covalent in character. Vanadium–oxygen species provide a classic example of the effect of increasing metal oxidation state on the protonation state of a coordinated water molecule: vanadium(II) in water exists as the violet hydrated ion [V(H₂O)₆]²⁺; the blue-green [V(H₂O)₆]³⁺ ion is acidic, dissociating to form small amounts of the [V(H₂O)₅(OH)]²⁺ ion and a proton; and in water, vanadium(IV) forms the blue vanadyl ion [(H₂O)₄VO]²⁺, which contains a formal V=O bond (Figure 23.4 "Aqueous Solutions of Vanadium Ions in Oxidation States of +2 to +5"). Consistent with its covalent character, V₂O₅ is acidic, dissolving in base to give the vanadate ion ([VO₄]³⁻), whereas both Nb₂O₅ and Ta₂O₅ are comparatively inert. Oxides of these metals in lower oxidation states tend to be nonstoichiometric.

Although group 5 metals react with the heavier chalcogens to form a complex set of binary chalcogenides, the most important are the dichalcogenides (MY₂), whose layered structures are similar to those of the group 4 dichalcogenides. The elements of group 5 also form binary nitrides, carbides, borides, and hydrides, whose stoichiometries and properties are similar to those of the corresponding group 4 compounds. One such compound, tantalum carbide (TiC), has the highest melting point of any compound known (3738°C); it is used for the cutting edges of high-speed machine tools.

Group 6 (Cr, Mo, and W)

As an illustration of the trend toward increasing polarizability as we go from left to right across the d block, in group 6 we first encounter a metal (Mo) that occurs naturally as a sulfide ore rather than as an oxide. Molybdenite (MoS₂) is a soft black mineral that can be used for writing, like PbS and graphite. Because of this similarity, people long assumed that these substances were all the same. In fact, the name molybdenum is derived from the Greek molybdos, meaning “lead.” More than 90% of the molybdenum produced annually is used to make steels for cutting tools, which retain their sharp edge even when red hot. In addition, molybdenum is the only second- or third-row transition element that is essential for humans. The major chromium ore is chromite (FeCr₂O₄), which is oxidized to the soluble [CrO₄]²⁻ ion under basic conditions and reduced successively to Cr₂O₃ and Cr with carbon and aluminum, respectively. Pure chromium can be obtained by dissolving Cr₂O₃ in sulfuric acid followed by electrolytic reduction; a similar process is used for electroplating metal objects to give them a bright, shiny, protective surface layer. Pure tungsten is obtained by first converting tungsten ores to WO₃, which is then reduced with hydrogen to give the metal.

Consistent with periodic trends, the group 6 metals are slightly less electropositive than those of the three preceding groups, and the two heaviest metals are essentially the same size because of the lanthanide contraction (Table 23.5 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 6 and 7"). All three elements have a total of six valence electrons, resulting in a maximum oxidation state of +6. Due to extensive polarization of the anions, compounds in the +6 oxidation state are highly covalent. As in groups 4 and 5, the lightest element exhibits variable oxidation states, ranging from Cr²⁺, which is a powerful reductant, to CrO₃, a red solid that is a powerful oxidant. For Mo and W, the highest oxidation state (+6) is by far the most important, although compounds in the +4 and +5 oxidation states are known.

As observed in previous groups, the group 6 halides become more covalent as the oxidation state of the metal increases: their volatility increases, and their melting points decrease. Recall that as the electronegativity of the halogens decreases from F to I, they are less able to stabilize high oxidation states; consequently, the maximum oxidation state of the corresponding metal halides decreases. Thus all three metals form hexafluorides, but CrF₆ is unstable at temperatures above −100°C, whereas MoF₆ and WF₆ are stable. Consistent with the trend toward increased stability of the highest oxidation state for the second- and third-row elements, the other halogens can oxidize chromium to only the trihalides, CrX₃ (X is Cl, Br, or I), while molybdenum forms MoCl₅, MoBr₄, and MoI₃, and tungsten gives WCl₆, WBr₅, and WI₄.

Both Mo and W react with oxygen to form the covalent trioxides (MoO₃ and WO₃), but Cr reacts to form only the so-called sesquioxide (Cr₂O₃). Chromium will form CrO₃, which is a highly toxic compound that can react explosively with organic materials. All the trioxides are acidic, dissolving in base to form the corresponding oxoanions ([MO₄]²⁻). Consistent with periodic trends, the sesquioxide of the lightest element in the group (Cr₂O₃) is amphoteric. The aqueous chemistry of molybdate and tungstate is complex, and at low pH they form a series of polymeric anions called isopolymetallates, such as the [Mo₈O₂₆]⁴⁻ ion, whose structure is as follows:

An isopolymolybdate cluster. The [Mo₈O₂₆]⁴⁻ ion, shown here in both side and top views, is typical of the oxygen-bridged clusters formed by Mo(VI) and W(VI) in aqueous solution.

Reacting molybdenum or tungsten with heavier chalcogens gives binary chalcogenide phases, most of which are nonstoichiometric and electrically conducting. One of the most stable is MoS₂; it has a layered structure similar to that of TiS₂ (Figure 23.3 "The Layered Structure of TiS"), in which the layers are held together by only weak van der Waals forces, which allows them to slide past one another rather easily. Consequently, both MoS₂ and WS₂ are used as lubricants in a variety of applications, including automobile engines. Because tungsten itself has an extraordinarily high melting point (3380°C), lubricants described as containing “liquid tungsten” actually contain a suspension of very small WS₂ particles.

As in groups 4 and 5, the elements of group 6 form binary nitrides, carbides, and borides whose stoichiometries and properties are similar to those of the preceding groups. Tungsten carbide (WC), one of the hardest compounds known, is used to make the tips of drill bits.

Group 7 (Mn, Tc, and Re)

Continuing across the periodic table, we encounter the group 7 elements (Table 23.5 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 6 and 7"). One group 7 metal (Mn) is usually combined with iron in an alloy called ferromanganese, which has been used since 1856 to improve the mechanical properties of steel by scavenging sulfur and oxygen impurities to form MnS and MnO. Technetium is named after the Greek technikos, meaning “artificial,” because all its isotopes are radioactive. One isotope, ^99mTc (m for metastable), has become an important biomedical tool for imaging internal organs. Because of its scarcity, Re is one of the most expensive elements, and its applications are limited. It is, however, used in a bimetallic Pt/Re catalyst for refining high-octane gasoline.

All three group 7 elements have seven valence electrons and can form compounds in the +7 oxidation state. Once again, the lightest element exhibits multiple oxidation states. Compounds of Mn in oxidation states ranging from −3 to +7 are known, with the most common being +2 and +4 (Figure 23.5 "Compounds of Manganese in Oxidation States +2 to +7"). In contrast, compounds of Tc and Re in the +2 oxidation state are quite rare. Because the electronegativity of Mn is anomalously low, elemental manganese is unusually reactive. In contrast, the chemistry of Tc is similar to that of Re because of their similar size and electronegativity, again a result of the lanthanide contraction. Due to the stability of the half-filled 3d⁵ electron configuration, the aqueous Mn³⁺ ion, with a 3d⁴ valence electron configuration, is a potent oxidant that is able to oxidize water. It is difficult to generalize about other oxidation states for Tc and Re because their stability depends dramatically on the nature of the compound.

Consistent with higher oxidation states being more stable for the heavier transition metals, reacting Mn with F₂ gives only MnF₃, a high-melting, red-purple solid, whereas Re reacts with F₂ to give ReF₇, a volatile, low-melting, yellow solid. Again, reaction with the less oxidizing, heavier halogens produces halides in lower oxidation states. Thus reaction with Cl₂, a weaker oxidant than F₂, gives MnCl₂ and ReCl₆. Reaction of Mn with oxygen forms only Mn₃O₄, a mixed-valent compound that contains two Mn(II) and one Mn(III) per formula unit and is similar in both stoichiometry and structure to magnetite (Fe₃O₄). In contrast, Tc and Re form high-valent oxides, the so-called heptoxides (M₂O₇), consistent with the increased stability of higher oxidation states for the second and third rows of transition metals. Under forced conditions, manganese will form Mn₂O₇, an unstable, explosive, green liquid. Also consistent with this trend, the permanganate ion [MnO₄]²⁻ is a potent oxidant, whereas [TcO₄]⁻ and [ReO₄]⁻ are much more stable. Both Tc and Re form disulfides and diselenides with layered structures analogous to that of MoS₂, as well as more complex heptasulfides (M₂S₇). As is typical of the transition metals, the group 7 metals form binary nitrides, carbides, and borides that are generally stable at high temperatures and exhibit metallic properties.

Group 8 (Fe, Ru, and Os)

The chemistry of group 8 is dominated by iron, whose high abundance in Earth’s crust is due to the extremely high stability of its nucleus. Ruthenium and osmium, on the other hand, are extremely rare elements, with terrestrial abundances of only about 0.1 ppb and 5 ppb, respectively, and they were not discovered until the 19th century. Because of the high melting point of iron (1538°C), early humans could not use it for tools or weapons. The advanced techniques needed to work iron were first developed by the Hittite civilization in Asia Minor sometime before 2000 BC, and they remained a closely guarded secret that gave the Hittites military supremacy for almost a millennium. With the collapse of the Hittite civilization around 1200 BC, the technology became widely distributed, however, leading to the Iron Age.

Group 9 (Co, Rh, and Ir)

Cobalt is one of the least abundant of the first-row transition metals. Its oxide ores, however, have been used in glass and pottery for thousands of years to produce the brilliant color known as “cobalt blue,” and its compounds are consumed in large quantities in the paint and ceramics industries. The heavier elements of group 9 are also rare, with terrestrial abundances of less than 1 ppb; they are generally found in combination with the heavier elements of groups 8 and 10 in Ni–Cu–S ores.

Group 10 (Ni, Pd, and Pt)

Nickel silicates are easily processed; consequently, nickel has been known and used since antiquity. In fact, a 75:25 Cu:Ni alloy was used for more than 2000 years to mint “silver” coins, and the modern US nickel uses the same alloy. In contrast to nickel, palladium and platinum are rare (their terrestrial abundance is about 10–15 ppb), but they are at least an order of magnitude more abundant than the heavier elements of groups 8 and 9. Platinum and palladium are used in jewelry, the former as the pure element and the latter as the Pd/Au alloy known as white gold.

Over 2000 years ago, the Bactrian civilization in Western Asia used a 75:25 alloy of copper and nickel for its coins. A modern US nickel has the same composition, but a modern Canadian nickel is nickel-plated steel and contains only 2.5% nickel by mass. Image Credit: By Jean-Michel Moullec [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Trends in Group 8, 9, and 10

Some properties of the elements in groups 8–10 are summarized in Table 23.6 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 8, 9, and 10". As in earlier groups, similarities in size and electronegativity between the two heaviest members of each group result in similarities in chemistry. We are now at the point in the d block where there is no longer a clear correlation between the valence electron configuration and the preferred oxidation state. For example, all the elements of group 8 have eight valence electrons, but only Ru and Os have any tendency to form compounds in the +8 oxidation state, and those compounds are powerful oxidants. The predominant oxidation states for all three group 8 metals are +2 and +3. Although the elements of group 9 possess a total of nine valence electrons, the +9 oxidation state is unknown for these elements, and the most common oxidation states in the group are +3 and +1. Finally, the elements of group 10 all have 10 valence electrons, but all three elements are normally found in the +2 oxidation state formed by losing the ns² valence electrons. In addition, Pd and Pt form numerous compounds and complexes in the +4 oxidation state.

We stated that higher oxidation states become less stable as we go across the d-block elements and more stable as we go down a group. Thus Fe and Co form trifluorides, but Ni forms only the difluoride NiF₂. In contrast to Fe, Ru and Os form a series of fluorides up to RuF₆ and OsF₇. The hexafluorides of Rh and Ir are extraordinarily powerful oxidants, and Pt is the only element in group 10 that forms a hexafluoride. Similar trends are observed among the oxides. For example, Fe forms only FeO, Fe₂O₃, and the mixed-valent Fe₃O₄ (magnetite), all of which are nonstoichiometric. In contrast, Ru and Os form the dioxides (MO₂) and the highly toxic, volatile, yellow tetroxides, which contain formal M=O bonds. As expected for compounds of metals in such high oxidation states, the latter are potent oxidants. The tendency of the metals to form the higher oxides decreases rapidly as we go farther across the d block.

Reactivity with the heavier chalcogens is rather complex. Thus the oxidation state of Fe, Ru, Os, Co, and Ni in their disulfides is +2 because of the presence of the disulfide ion (S₂²⁻), but the disulfides of Rh, Ir, Pd, and Pt contain the metal in the +4 oxidation state together with sulfide ions (S²⁻). This combination of highly charged cations and easily polarized anions results in substances that are not simple ionic compounds and have significant covalent character.

The groups 8–10 metals form a range of binary nitrides, carbides, and borides. By far the most important of these is cementite (Fe₃C), which is used to strengthen steel. At high temperatures, Fe₃C is soluble in iron, but slow cooling causes the phases to separate and form particles of cementite, which gives a metal that retains much of its strength but is significantly less brittle than pure iron. Palladium is unusual in that it forms a binary hydride with the approximate composition PdH_0.5. Because the H atoms in the metal lattice are highly mobile, thin sheets of Pd are highly permeable to H₂ but essentially impermeable to all other gases, including He. Consequently, diffusion of H₂ through Pd is an effective method for separating hydrogen from other gases.

Group 11 (Cu, Ag, and Au)

The coinage metals—copper, silver, and gold—occur naturally (like the gold nugget shown here); consequently, these were probably the first metals used by ancient humans. For example, decorative gold artifacts dating from the late Stone Age are known, and some gold Egyptian coins are more than 5000 yr old. Copper is almost as ancient, with objects dating to about 5000 BC. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin that is harder than either of its constituent metals, was used before 3000 BC, giving rise to the Bronze Age. Deposits of silver are much less common than deposits of gold or copper, yet by 3000 BC, methods had been developed for recovering silver from its ores, which allowed silver coins to be widely used in ancient times.

This 2 kg gold nugget was found in Australia. (public display, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA); Image Credit: By James St. John (Gold nugget (Australia) 3) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Deposits of gold and copper are widespread and numerous, and for many centuries it was relatively easy to obtain large amounts of the pure elements. For example, a single gold nugget discovered in Australia in 1869 weighed more than 150 lb. Because the demand for these elements has outstripped their availability, methods have been developed to recover them economically from even very low-grade ores (as low as 1% Cu content for copper) by operating on a vast scale, as shown in the photo of an open-pit copper mine. Copper is used primarily to manufacture electric wires, but large quantities are also used to produce bronze, brass, and alloys for coins. Much of the silver made today is obtained as a by-product of the manufacture of other metals, especially Cu, Pb, and Zn. In addition to its use in jewelry and silverware, silver is used in Ag/Zn and Ag/Cd button batteries. Gold is typically found either as tiny particles of the pure metal or as gold telluride (AuTe₂). It is used as a currency reserve, in jewelry, in the electronics industry for corrosion-free contacts, and, in very thin layers, as a reflective window coating that minimizes heat transfer.

The Chuquicamata copper mine in northern Chile, the world’s largest open-pit copper mine, is 4.3 km long, 3 km wide, and 825 m deep. Each gigantic truck in the foreground (and barely visible in the lower right center) can hold 330 metric tn (330,000 kg) of copper ore. Image Credit: Reinhard Jahn, Mannheim Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Germany via Wikimedia Commons

Some properties of the coinage metals are listed in Table 23.7 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 11 and 12". The electronegativity of gold (χ = 2.40) is close to that of the nonmetals sulfur and iodine, which suggests that the chemistry of gold should be somewhat unusual for a metal. The coinage metals have the highest electrical and thermal conductivities of all the metals, and they are also the most ductile and malleable. With an ns¹(n − 1)d¹⁰ valence electron configuration, the chemistry of these three elements is dominated by the +1 oxidation state due to losing the single ns electron. Higher oxidation states are also known, however: +2 is common for Cu and, to a lesser extent, Ag, and +3 for Au because of the relatively low values of the second and (for Au) third ionization energies. All three elements have significant electron affinities due to the half-filled ns orbital in the neutral atoms. As a result, gold reacts with powerful reductants like Cs and solutions of the alkali metals in liquid ammonia to produce the gold anion Au⁻ with a 6s²5d¹⁰ valence electron configuration.

All group 11 elements are relatively unreactive, and their reactivity decreases from Cu to Au. Hence they are noble metals that are particularly well suited for use in coins and jewelry. Copper reacts with O₂ at high temperatures to produce Cu₂O and with sulfur to form Cu₂S. Neither silver nor gold reacts directly with oxygen, although oxides of these elements can be prepared by other routes. Silver reacts with sulfur compounds to form the black Ag₂S coating known as tarnish. Gold is the only metal that does not react with sulfur; it also does not react with nitrogen, carbon, or boron. All the coinage metals do, however, react with oxidizing acids. Thus both Cu and Ag dissolve in HNO₃ and in hot concentrated H₂SO₄, while Au dissolves in the 3:1 HCl:HNO₃ mixture known as aqua regia. Furthermore, all three metals dissolve in basic cyanide solutions in the presence of oxygen to form very stable [M(CN)₂]⁻ ions, a reaction that is used to separate gold from its ores.

All the monohalides except CuF and AuF are known (including AgF). Once again, iodine is unable to stabilize the higher oxidation states (Au³⁺ and Cu²⁺). Thus all the copper(II) halides except the iodide are known, but the only dihalide of silver is AgF₂. In contrast, all the gold trihalides (AuX₃) are known, again except the triiodide. No binary nitrides, borides, or carbides are known for the group 11 elements.

Group 12 (Zn, Cd, and Hg)

We next encounter the group 12 elements. Because none of the elements in group 12 has a partially filled (n − 1)d subshell, they are not, strictly speaking, transition metals. Nonetheless, much of their chemistry is similar to that of the elements that immediately precede them in the d block. The group 12 metals are similar in abundance to those of group 11, and they are almost always found in combination with sulfur. Because zinc and cadmium are chemically similar, virtually all zinc ores contain significant amounts of cadmium. All three metals are commercially important, although the use of Cd is restricted because of its toxicity. Zinc is used for corrosion protection, in batteries, to make brass, and, in the form of ZnO, in the production of rubber and paints. Cadmium is used as the cathode in rechargeable NiCad batteries. Large amounts of mercury are used in the production of chlorine and NaOH by the chloralkali process, while smaller amounts are consumed in mercury-vapor streetlights and mercury batteries.

As shown in Table 23.7 "Some Properties of the Elements of Groups 11 and 12", the group 12 metals are significantly more electropositive than the elements of group 11, and they therefore have less noble character. They also have much lower melting and boiling points than the preceding transition metals. In contrast to trends in the preceding groups, Zn and Cd are similar to each other, but very different from the heaviest element (Hg). In particular, Zn and Cd are rather active metals, whereas mercury is not. Because mercury, the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature, can dissolve many metals by forming amalgams, medieval alchemists especially valued it when trying to transmute base metals to gold and silver. All three elements in group 12 have ns²(n − 1)d¹⁰ valence electron configurations; consequently, the +2 oxidation state, corresponding to losing the two ns electrons, dominates their chemistry. In addition, mercury forms a series of compounds in the +1 oxidation state that contain the diatomic mercurous ion Hg₂²⁺.

All the possible group 12 dihalides (MX₂) are known, and they range from ionic (the fluorides) to highly covalent (such as HgCl₂). The highly covalent character of many mercuric and mercurous halides is surprising given the large size of the cations, and this has been attributed to the existence of an easily distorted 5d¹⁰ subshell. Zinc and cadmium react with oxygen to form amphoteric MO, whereas mercury forms HgO only within a narrow temperature range (350–400°C). Whereas zinc and cadmium dissolve in mineral acids such as HCl with the evolution of hydrogen, mercury dissolves only in oxidizing acids such as HNO₃ and H₂SO₄. All three metals react with sulfur and the other chalcogens to form the binary chalcogenides; mercury also has an extraordinarily high affinity for sulfur.