Oxidation States in Alkenes

For alkenes, several carbon oxidation levels are again possible. Furthermore, both carbon atoms must be considered as part of the same alkene functional group. While the total oxidation level can go from —4 for ethylene (as the sum of the oxidation level of both carbon atoms in the functional group) to 0 for a tetrasub-stituted alkene, we again recognize that all are of the same functional class. 

Furthermore it is evident that because the lowest possible oxidation level of a single carbon atom in an alkene is —2 while the lowest possible oxidation level of a carbon atom in an alkane is —4, alkenes are thus oxidized relative to alkanes. 

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