Potassium Permanganate is a highly versatile oxidizer whose reaction pathway is rigidly dictated by — d and f Block Elements Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

This is a highly tested JEE trap. In acid, $MnO_4^-$ drops to $Mn^{2+}$, oxidizing $I^-$ to free molecular Iodine ($I_2$). In neutral/faintly alkaline media, $MnO_4^-$ drops only to $MnO_2$, but pushes the oxidation of $I^-$ significantly further, generating the Iodate ion ($IO_3^-$).