Consider the transition metal complex FeCp₂.The total number of valence electrons this complex possesses is ____. A)2 B)8 C)10 D)12 E)18

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

- Fe is in group 8, so it has 8 valence electrons. - Cp (cyclopentadienyl) is a ligand that donates 5 electrons from its 5 carbon atoms. - ₂ is also a ligand with sulfur atoms serving as a bridge between two boron atoms, each with a lone pair of electrons. Thus, each sulfur and boron atoms donates 2 electrons. There are 2 sulfur atoms and 2 boron atoms in this ligand, resulting in a total of 8 electrons. - Adding up the electrons from the metal and the ligands gives 8 + 5 + 8 = 21 electrons. However, we need to subtract 1 electron because Fe is in its +2 oxidation state (CpFe₂ has a net charge of -1). Therefore, the total number of valence electrons is 21 - 1 = 20.

Consider the Transition Metal Complex FeCp2

Consider the Transition Metal Complex FeCp₂