The octahedral complex hexacyanoferrate(III)ion,[Fe(CN)₆]^3-,is a low-spin complex.How many unpaired electrons does the complex have? A)5 B)1 C)4 D)0 E)3

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hexacyanoferrate(III) ion is a d6 system, and CN^- is a strong-field ligand. Therefore, the complex is a low-spin complex. In a low-spin complex, electrons are paired up in the t2g set of orbitals before entering the eg set of orbitals. So, the complex has only one unpaired electron in the eg set of orbitals. Hence, the correct answer is choice B.

The Octahedral Complex Hexacyanoferrate(III)ion,[Fe(CN)6]3-,is a Low-Spin Complex

The Octahedral Complex Hexacyanoferrate(III)ion,[Fe(CN)₆]^3-,is a Low-Spin Complex