Question 1

How are d-orbital splitting diagrams determined?

Accepted Answer

The diagrams are based on Crystal Field Theory (CFT), which describes how the approach of negative ligand charges splits the degeneracy of the five metal d-orbitals. The specific pattern—such as the t2g/eg split in octahedral fields or the e/t2 split in tetrahedral fields—depends entirely on the coordination geometry selected.

Question 2

How is the IUPAC name for a complex generated?

Accepted Answer

The name is constructed by listing ligands in alphabetical order with Greek prefixes (di-, tri-, etc.) followed by the metal name. If the complex is an anion, the metal name ends in '-ate'. The metal's oxidation state is shown in Roman numerals in parentheses at the end.

Question 3

What determines if a complex is high spin or low spin?

Accepted Answer

Spin state depends on the magnitude of the crystal field splitting (Δ) relative to the electron pairing energy (P). Strong-field ligands like CN⁻ or CO typically favor low-spin configurations by maximizing pairing in lower-energy orbitals, while weak-field ligands like I⁻ or Cl⁻ favor high-spin states.