Strong Field Ligand
What is Strong Field Ligand?
A strong-field ligand is a ligand that causes a large crystal field splitting (Δ) of the d-orbital energy levels of the central metal ion, favoring the pairing of electrons in lower-energy orbitals and thus producing low-spin complexes. Common strong-field ligands include cyanide (CN⁻), carbon monoxide (CO), ethylenediamine (en), and nitrite (NO₂⁻), positioned at the high end of the spectrochemical series. The large splitting energy of strong-field ligands often results in complexes with unusual colors and diamagnetic or low-spin magnetic behavior.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
A strong-field ligand is a ligand that causes a large crystal field splitting (Δ) of the d-orbital energy levels of the central metal ion, favoring the pairing of electrons in lower-energy orbitals and thus producing low-spin complexes. Common strong-field ligands include cyanide (CN⁻), carbon monoxide (CO), ethylenediamine (en), and nitrite (NO₂⁻), positioned at the high end of the spectrochemical series. The large splitting energy of strong-field ligands often results in complexes with unusual colors and diamagnetic or low-spin magnetic behavior.