Q.Atomic number of Mn, Fe, Co and Ni are 25, 26, 27 and 28 respectively. Which of the following outer orbital octahedral complexes have same number of unpaired electrons?
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Crystal Field Splitting
Crystal Field Splitting: From Intuition to Precision
Imagine you are a negatively charged electron sitting on a metal ion. All around you, the space is perfectly spherical — every direction feels the same. Your energy depends only on how far you are from the nucleus, not on which way you face.
Now imagine that six negative ions (or the negative ends of polar molecules) march in from the x, y, and z axes and stop close to you. Suddenly, the space around you is no longer uniform. If you try to move straight toward one of these approaching ions, you feel a strong repulsion — that path costs extra energy. If you move between the axes (say, along a diagonal), you feel less repulsion because you are farther from the incoming charges.
This is the core intuition: when ligands approach a metal ion, they break the spherical symmetry of the space around the metal. Different directions in space are no longer equivalent. Electrons in orbitals that point directly at the ligands get pushed up in energy; electrons in orbitals that point between the ligands stay lower.
The Precise Statement
Crystal Field Splitting is the splitting of degenerate d orbitals of a transition metal ion into two or more sets of different energies, caused by the electrostatic repulsion between the metal's d electrons and the negative charge (or dipole) of surrounding ligands.
For the most common geometry — octahedral — here is what happens:
- Six ligands sit at the corners of an octahedron, along the +x, −x, +y, −y, +z, −z axes.
- The dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point their lobes directly along these axes. These are the eg set. They feel maximum repulsion → higher energy.
- The dxy, dxz, and dyz orbitals point their lobes between the axes (into the octahedral faces). These are the t2g set. They feel less repulsion → lower energy.
The energy gap between these two sets is denoted by Δo (or 10Dq). The t2g set drops by 0.4Δo and the eg set rises by 0.6Δo, keeping the average energy unchanged (the "barycentre" rule).
The labels eg and t2g come from group theory — they describe how the orbitals transform under the symmetry operations of an octahedron. You do not need to memorise the derivation, but the notation is standard in every exam.
Why This Matters
Crystal field splitting explains three things you will see repeatedly:
- Colour — electrons can jump from t2g to eg by absorbing visible light. The gap Δo determines the colour you see.
- Magnetism — if Δo is large, electrons pair up in the lower t2g set (low spin). If Δo is small, electrons spread out (high spin). This changes the number of unpaired electrons. …
Why this formula?
Crystal Field Splitting: Why the Energy Splitting Occurs
Crystal Field Theory (CFT) explains how the d-orbitals of a transition metal ion split in energy when placed in an electrostatic field created by surrounding ligands (anions or polar molecules). The key result is that five degenerate d-orbitals split into two or more sets with different energies. Let's understand why this happens.
1. The Starting Point: Degenerate d-Orbitals
In a free transition metal ion (no ligands), all five d-orbitals have the same energy (degenerate). Their shapes are:
- dxy, dxz, dyz — lobes lie between the x, y, z axes (called t2g set in octahedral symmetry)
- dx2−y2, dz2 — lobes point directly along the x, y, z axes (called eg set)
Key idea: The spatial orientation of each orbital determines how it interacts with approaching ligands.
2. The Octahedral Case: Why eg Orbitals Are Higher in Energy
Imagine six ligands approaching along the +x, –x, +y, –y, +z, –z axes (octahedral geometry).
What happens to dx2−y2 and dz2?
- Their lobes point directly at the ligands.
- The negatively charged ligands repel the electron density in these orbitals.
- This repulsion raises the energy of these orbitals — they become less stable (higher energy).
What happens to dxy, dxz, dyz?
- Their lobes point between the axes (e.g., dxy lobes lie in the xy-plane but at 45° to x and y).
- They avoid the ligands — less repulsion.
- Their energy is lower than the eg set.
The Splitting Pattern
Δoct=E(eg)−E(t2g)
Where:
- E(eg) = energy of dx2−y2 and dz2 (higher)
- E(t2g) = energy of dxy, dxz, dyz (lower)
- Δoct is called the crystal field splitting energy (CFSE)
Why the name? The eg orbitals are "doubly degenerate" (2 orbitals), t2g are "triply degenerate" (3 orbitals). The letters come from group theory symmetry labels.
3. The Energy Conservation Rule
The total energy of all five d-orbitals must remain constant (no energy is created or destroyed). So:
- The center of gravity (average energy) of the split set equals the original degenerate energy.
- For octahedral splitting:
- 2 eg orbitals go up by +0.6Δoct each
- 3 t2g orbitals go down by −0.4Δoct each
Check:
2×(+0.6Δ)+3×(−0.4Δ)=1.2Δ−1.2Δ=0
This conservation of energy is a fundamental constraint — the splitting is not arbitrary.
4. The Tetrahedral Case: Why It's Opposite and Smaller
In a tetrahedral complex, four ligands approach from alternate corners of a cube. The axes are different:
- The dxy, dxz, dyz orbitals now point closer to the ligands (more repulsion).
- The dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point away from ligands (less repulsion).
Result:
- e set ( dx2−y2, dz2 ) — lower energy
- t2 set ( dxy, dxz, dyz ) — higher energy
The splitting is inverted compared to octahedral.
Magnitude:
Δtet≈94Δoct
Why smaller?
- Only 4 ligands (vs. 6) → less total repulsion.
- Ligands are not directly along axes → weaker interaction. …
Concept: Crystal Field Splitting – For outer orbital (high-spin) octahedral complexes, weak-field ligands (like Cl⁻, F⁻, NH₃ for Ni²⁺ here) cause minimal pairing, so electrons fill all five d-orbitals singly before pairing.
Step 1: Determine oxidation states and d-electron counts
- (i) Mn in [MnCl6]3−: Mn is +3 → d4 (Mn: 25, Mn³⁺: 22 electrons, so 4 d-electrons).
- (ii) Fe in [FeF6]3−: Fe is +3 → d5 (Fe: 26, Fe³⁺: 23 electrons, so 5 d-electrons).
- (iii) Co in [CoF6]3−: Co is +3 → d6 (Co: 27, Co³⁺: 24 electrons, so 6 d-electrons).
- (iv) Ni in [Ni(NH3)6]2+: Ni is +2 → d8 (Ni: 28, Ni²⁺: 26 electrons, so 8 d-electrons).
Step 2: Apply weak-field (high-spin) filling for octahedral
- d4: t2g3eg1 → 4 unpaired electrons. …
The key is to identify which complexes are outer orbital (high-spin) and then count their unpaired electrons. [MnCl6]3− (4 unpaired) and [CoF6]3− (4 unpaired) have the same number, so the correct pair is (i) and (iii).
1. What does "outer orbital" mean?
In octahedral complexes, ligands split the d-orbitals into two sets: the lower-energy t2g and the higher-energy eg. The size of this splitting (Δo) depends on the ligand.
- Strong field ligands (like NH3, CN−) cause a large Δo — electrons pair up in the t2g before occupying eg. This gives low-spin (or inner orbital) complexes.
- Weak field ligands (like F−, Cl−, H2O for most 3d metals) cause a small Δo — electrons occupy all five d-orbitals singly first (Hund's rule). This gives high-spin (or outer orbital) complexes.
The phrase "outer orbital" specifically means the complex uses the outer nd orbitals (i.e., 3d for first-row transition metals) and follows high-spin configuration. So we must first check the ligand: Cl− and F− are weak field; NH3 is strong field.
NH3 is a strong field ligand for most 3d metals (especially Co, Ni). So [Ni(NH3)6]2+ will be low-spin, not outer orbital. Option (iv) is automatically disqualified.
2. Determine the oxidation state and d-electron count for each complex
We need the number of d-electrons on the central metal ion.
| Complex | Metal | Oxidation state | d-electron count |
|---|---|---|---|
| [MnCl6]3− | Mn (Z=25) | +3 (since 6×(-1) = -6, overall -3 → Mn = +3) | d4 |
| [FeF6]3− | Fe (Z=26) | +3 (6×(-1) = -6, overall -3 → Fe = +3) | d5 |
| [CoF6]3− | Co (Z=27) | +3 (6×(-1) = -6, overall -3 → Co = +3) | d6 |
| [Ni(NH3)6]2+ | Ni (Z=28) | +2 (6×0 = 0, overall +2 → Ni = +2) | d8 |
3. Apply the outer orbital (high-spin) configuration for each
For weak-field ligands, fill the d-orbitals according to Hund's rule: each orbital gets one electron before pairing.
-
[MnCl6]3− — d4, high-spin:
t2g: ↑ ↑ ↑ (three electrons)
eg: ↑ (one electron)
Unpaired electrons = 4
-
[FeF6]3− — d5, high-spin:
t2g: ↑ ↑ ↑
eg: ↑ ↑
Unpaired electrons = 5
-
[CoF6]3− — d6, high-spin:
t2g: ↑ ↑ ↑
eg: ↑ ↑
Then the sixth electron must pair in t2g:
t2g: ↑↓ ↑ ↑
eg: ↑ ↑
Unpaired electrons = 4 …
Method: Crystal Field Theory (CFT) — Outer Orbital (High Spin) Complexes
Step 1: Identify the oxidation state and electron configuration of the central metal ion
For each complex, find the metal’s oxidation state and its dn configuration.
-
(i) [MnCl6]3−
Mn (Z = 25): [Ar]3d54s2
Oxidation state: +3 (since Cl⁻ is −1, total ligand charge = −6, complex charge = −3 ⇒ Mn = +3)
Mn3+: 3d4 → d4 system
-
(ii) [FeF6]3−
Fe (Z = 26): [Ar]3d64s2
Oxidation state: +3 (F⁻ is −1, total = −6, complex = −3 ⇒ Fe = +3)
Fe3+: 3d5 → d5 system
-
(iii) [CoF6]3−
Co (Z = 27): [Ar]3d74s2
Oxidation state: +3 (F⁻ is −1, total = −6, complex = −3 ⇒ Co = +3)
Co3+: 3d6 → d6 system
-
(iv) [Ni(NH3)6]2+
Ni (Z = 28): [Ar]3d84s2
Oxidation state: +2 (NH₃ is neutral, complex charge = +2 ⇒ Ni = +2)
Ni2+: 3d8 → d8 system
Step 2: Determine the ligand field strength and spin state
- Cl⁻ and F⁻ are weak field ligands → cause small Δ₀ → high spin (outer orbital) complexes.
- NH₃ is a moderate field ligand — for Ni2+ (d8), it always gives low spin (since d8 has no high-spin/low-spin difference in octahedral geometry — it’s always 2 unpaired electrons). But the question specifies outer orbital — so we must check if NH₃ forces pairing. For d8, pairing is complete in both cases, so it’s effectively the same.
Step 3: Fill electrons in the t2g and eg orbitals (high spin)
For high spin (outer orbital) octahedral complexes:
- d4 (Mn³⁺): …
Common Mistakes in Crystal Field Splitting (Outer Orbital Complexes)
Mistake 1: Confusing "Outer Orbital" with "Inner Orbital"
The Error: Students often forget that outer orbital means high spin (weak field ligand, sp3d2 hybridization). They incorrectly assume all complexes are low spin.
How to Avoid:
- Outer orbital = weak field ligand = high spin = maximum unpaired electrons
- Inner orbital = strong field ligand = low spin = minimum unpaired electrons
- For [MnCl6]3−, [FeF6]3−, [CoF6]3− — all have weak field ligands (Cl−, F−), so they are high spin
Mistake 2: Wrong Oxidation State Calculation
The Error: Students misassign oxidation states, leading to wrong dn configurations.
How to Avoid:
- For [MnCl6]3−: Mn+6(−1)=−3⇒Mn=+3 → d4 (Mn atomic no. 25, Mn3+ = 22 electrons = d4)
- For [FeF6]3−: Fe+6(−1)=−3⇒Fe=+3 → d5
- For [CoF6]3−: Co+6(−1)=−3⇒Co=+3 → d6
- For [Ni(NH3)6]2+: Ni+6(0)=+2⇒Ni=+2 → d8
Mistake 3: Forgetting NH3 is a Strong Field Ligand
The Error: Students treat NH3 as weak field, making [Ni(NH3)6]2+ high spin — but NH3 is strong field for 3d metals.
How to Avoid:
- NH3 is a strong field ligand → causes low spin (inner orbital) for d6 and below
- For d8 (Ni2+), strong field still gives 2 unpaired electrons (no pairing possible in t2g6eg2)
Mistake 4: Incorrect Electron Filling in High Spin vs Low Spin
The Error: Students fill d orbitals without considering crystal field splitting energy (Δo) vs pairing energy (P).
How to Avoid:
- High spin (weak field): Fill all t2g singly first, then eg singly (Hund's rule)
- Low spin (strong field): Pair in t2g before filling eg
| Complex | dn | Ligand | Spin | t2g | eg | Unpaired e⁻ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [MnCl6]3− | d4 | Weak | High | ↑ ↑ ↑ | ↑ | 4 |
Showing the 12 most recent of 17 on this concept.
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.Which of the following complex ion absorbs yellow colour in the visible region? (A) [Co(NH3)6]+3 (B) [Co(CN)6]3− (C) [Cu(H2O)4]+2 (D) [Co(NH3)5(H2O)]+3 (E) [CoCl(NH3)5]+2
›Reveal solutionSolution
A complex absorbs the colour complementary to the one it appears; the violet/purple [CoCl(NH3)5]2+ absorbs yellow.
Observed colour is complementary to the absorbed colour. A species that absorbs yellow light appears violet/purple. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04204 marksMCQQ.The order of field strength of the following ligands in the spectrochemical series is (A) NCS−<CN−<SCN−<S2−<OH− (B) NCS−<OH−<S2−<NCS−<CN− (C) CN−<S2−<OH−<NCS−<SCN− (D) SCN−<S2−<OH−<NCS−<CN− (E) SCN−<S2−<CN−<NCS−<OH−
›Reveal solutionSolution
Field strength increases: SCN−<S2−<OH−<NCS−<CN−. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04214 marksMCQQ.The correct increasing order of wavelength of absorption of the following complexes is(i) [CoCl(NH3)5]2+(ii) [Co(NH3)5(H2O)]3+(iii) [Co(NH3)6]3+(iv) [Co(CN)6]3− (A)(i) <(ii) <(iii) <(iv) (B)(i) <(ii) <(iv) <(iii) (C)(ii) <(i) <(iv) <(iii) (D)(iv) <(iii) <(ii) <(i) (E)(iv) <(i) <(ii) < (iii)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Wavelength is inverse to Δo; increasing λ: (iv)<(iii)<(ii)<(i). …
- KEAM 2026Set pha-2026-0420F4 marksMCQQ.Which one of the statements is not the limitation of valence bond theory of complexes? (A) It does not give a quantitative interpretation of the thermodynamic stabilities. (B) It does not give quantitative interpretation of magnetic properties.. (C) It explains the colour exhibited by coordination compounds. (D) It does not distinguish between weak and strong ligands. (E) It does not make exact predictions regarding the tetrahedral structures of 4-coordinated complexes.
›Reveal solutionSolution
A recognised limitation of VBT is that it fails to explain colour; the statement that it explains colour (C) is therefore not a limitation.
Valence bond theory has several well-known limitations: it gives no quantitative account of thermodynamic stabilities (A), no quantitative account of magnetic properties (B), does not distinguish strong from weak ligands (D), and makes no exact prediction of tetrahedral geometries (E) — all genuine shortcomings. …
- KEAM 2025Set eng-2025-04294 marksMCQQ.The complex ions [NiCl4]2− and [Ni(CN)4]2− differ by(i) Magnetic moment(ii) Geometry(iii) Hybridisation of central metal ion(iv) Oxidation state of nickel (A) (i),(ii) and(iv) (B) (i),(ii) and(iii) (C) (ii),(iii) and(iv) (D)(ii) and(iii) (E) (i), (ii),(iii) and (iv)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Both have Ni in the +2 state, so (iv) does not differ. They differ in magnetic moment (i), geometry (ii) and hybridisation (iii) — option (B).
Both complexes have Ni2+ (d8), so the oxidation state (iv) is the same in both — it cannot be a point of difference.
- [NiCl4]2−: Cl− is a weak-field ligand, so no pairing occurs. Configuration d8 with 2 unpaired electrons → sp3 hybridisation → tetrahedral, paramagnetic. …
- KEAM 2025Set eng-2025-04294 marksMCQQ.Four complex ions are given in Column I and the colours of light absorbed are given in Column II. Match the correct answer from the codes given below. Complex:(a) [Ti(H2O)6]3+;(b) [Cu(H2O)4]2+;(c) [CoCl(NH3)5]2+;(d) [Co(NH3)6]3+ Colour of light absorbed:(i) Blue;(ii) Yellow;(iii) Blue green;(iv) Red (A) (a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i) (B) (a)-(ii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(iii), (d)-(i) (C) (a)-(iii), (b)-(ii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i) (D) (a)-(i), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(iii) (E) (a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(i), (d)-(ii)
›Reveal solutionSolution
[!TLDR]
Using crystal-field strength to rank the d-d absorption energies, [Ti(H2O)6]3+ absorbs blue-green, [Cu(H2O)4]2+ red, [CoCl(NH3)5]2+ yellow and [Co(NH3)6]3+ blue — option (A).
Concept
In a transition-metal complex, d-electrons are excited across the crystal-field gap Δ. The complex absorbs the wavelength matching Δ; a stronger ligand field means a larger Δ and absorption of higher-energy (shorter-wavelength, toward blue/violet) light. This CFT reasoning is standard in the NCERT/CBSE coordination-chemistry chapter that the KEAM syllabus draws from.
Solution
- (b) [Cu(H2O)4]2+: aqua ligands give a small Δ; the deep-blue solution absorbs low-energy red light ⇒ (iv).
- (a) [Ti(H2O)6]3+: a single d-d band near 500nm absorbs blue-green light (complex looks purple) ⇒ (iii). …
- KEAM 2025Set pha-2025-0424F4 marksMCQQ.Which of the following is a spin free complex? (A) [Ni(CO)4] (B) [Co(NH3)6]3+ (C) [Ni(CN)4]2− (D) [CoF6]3− (E) [Mn(CN)6]3−
›Reveal solutionSolution
"Spin free" = high spin. Only [CoF6]3−, with the weak-field F− ligand, keeps its d-electrons unpaired (high spin).
A spin-free (high-spin) complex forms with weak-field ligands, where the crystal-field splitting is too small to force pairing.
- [Ni(CO)4]: CO strong field, Ni(0) d10 — diamagnetic, not relevant as "spin-free."
- [Co(NH3)6]3+: NH3 strong-ish field, Co3+ d6 — low spin.
- [Ni(CN)4]2−: CN− strong field — low-spin, square planar, diamagnetic. …
- KEAM 2025Set pha-2025-0424A4 marksMCQQ.Which of the following complex ion is diamagnetic? (A) [MnCl6]3− (B) [Fe(CN)6]3− (C) [Co(C2O4)3]3− (D) [FeF6]3− (E) [CoF6]3−
›Reveal solutionSolution
[Co(C2O4)3]3− is diamagnetic.
Check the unpaired electrons in each ion:
- [MnCl6]3−: Mn3+ d4, weak-field Cl− ⇒ 4 unpaired — paramagnetic.
- [Fe(CN)6]3−: Fe3+ d5 low spin t2g5 ⇒ 1 unpaired — paramagnetic.
- [Co(C2O4)3]3−: Co3+ d6; oxalate is a fairly strong field ligand giving low spin t2g6eg0 ⇒ 0 unpaired — diamagnetic. …
- KEAM 2025Set pha-2025-0429F4 marksMCQQ.Which of the following is an outer orbital complex? (A) [Co(NH3)6]3+ (B) [Mn(CN)6]3− (C) [Co(C2O4)3]3− (D) [MnCl6]3− (E) [Fe(CN)6]3−
›Reveal solutionSolution
Outer-orbital (high-spin) complexes form with weak-field ligands that use the outer d orbitals (sp3d2). Among the options only [MnCl6]3− has a weak-field ligand (Cl−); the rest have strong-field ligands (CN−, NH3, C2O42−) giving inner-orbital (d2sp3) complexes.
Reasoning
Whether a complex is inner- or outer-orbital depends on the ligand field strength:
- [Co(NH3)6]3+ — NH3 strong field, d2sp3, inner orbital.
- [Mn(CN)6]3− — CN− strong field, inner orbital.
- [Co(C2O4)3]3− — Co(III) with oxalate, low-spin inner orbital. …
- KEAM 2024Set eng-2024-06094 marksMCQQ.The type of d-d transition of the electron occurs in [Ti(H2O)6]3+ is (A) t2g2eg1→t2g1eg2 (B) t2g1eg0→t2g1eg0 (C) t2g1eg0→t2g0eg1 (D) t2g0eg1→t2g1eg0 (E) t2g2eg0→t2g1eg1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Ti3+ is a d1 ion; the single electron jumps t2g→eg.
In [Ti(H2O)6]3+, titanium is in the +3 state: Ti is [Ar]3d24s2, so Ti3+ is [Ar]3d1 — a single d electron. In an octahedral field it occupies the lower t2g set: t2g1eg0. Absorption of light (giving the violet col …
- KEAM 2024Set eng-2024-06094 marksMCQQ.The increasing order of field strength of ligands in the spectrochemical series is (A) CO<H2O<Cl−<I− (B) Cl−<H2O<CO<I− (C) H2O<CO<I−<Cl− (D) H2O<I−<Cl−<CO (E) I−<Cl−<H2O<CO
›Reveal solutionSolution
Increasing field strength: I−<Cl−<H2O<CO.
In the spectrochemical series the ligands are arranged by increasing crystal-field splitting power. The relevant fragment is
I−<Br−<Cl−<F−<H2O<NH3<en<CN−≈CO.
Hence for the given ligands the increasing field strength is …
- KEAM 2024Set eng-2024-06094 marksMCQQ.The number of unpaired electrons in [CoF6]3− is (A) one (B) four (C) zero (D) two (E) three
›Reveal solutionSolution
[CoF6]3− is a high-spin d6 complex (weak-field F−) with 4 unpaired electrons.
Cobalt in [CoF6]3− is Co3+: [Ar]3d6. Fluoride is a weak-field ligand, so the splitting Δo is small and the complex is high spin. The six d electrons fill as
t2g4eg2, …
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