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Ligand field splitting in tetrahedral complexes (∆T) compared to the ligand field splitting of octahedral complexes (∆O)

User CustardBun
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Final answer:

The ligand field splitting energy for octahedral complexes (∆O) is generally larger than for tetrahedral complexes (∆T), influenced by the nature of ligands, metal charge, and orbital type.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference in energy between octahedral complexes and tetrahedral complexes in terms of d orbital splitting is an important concept in coordination chemistry.

The splitting in octahedral complexes (∆O) tends to be larger compared to tetrahedral complexes (∆T). This is shown by the energy difference between the eg and t2g orbitals, marked as ∆oct for octahedral complexes.

Factors influencing this include the nature of the ligands, the metal's charge, and the d orbital type (3d, 4d, or 5d). Weak-field ligands, such as iodide, cause smaller splittings, while strong-field ligands, like cyanide, induce larger splittings.

The ligand field splitting in tetrahedral complexes (∆T) is generally smaller compared to the ligand field splitting in octahedral complexes (∆O).

In tetrahedral complexes, the splitting is denoted as ∆T, and it is typically smaller than the splitting in octahedral complexes (∆O).

This is because the tetrahedral geometry results in less overlap between the ligand orbitals and the d orbitals of the metal ion, leading to smaller energy differences.

User Stephen Weinberg
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