Frequently Asked Question

To determine the ground state of [Co(ox)3]4-, we need to consider the electronic configuration of the cobalt ion and the ligand field splitting caused by the oxalate ligands.
1. Cobalt Ion: Cobalt in its +3 oxidation state has an electronic configuration of [Ar] 3d6.
2. Oxalate Ligands: Oxalate (ox) is a weak field ligand. This means it causes a relatively small splitting of the d orbitals.
3. Ligand Field Splitting: The six oxalate ligands will create an octahedral ligand field, splitting the d orbitals into two sets: t2g (lower energy) and eg (higher energy).
4. Ground State: Since oxalate is a weak field ligand, the electrons will occupy the t2g orbitals first. In this case, all six electrons will fill the t2g orbitals. This results in a low spin complex with a ground state of t2g6 eg0, which is diamagnetic.
Therefore, [Co(ox)3]4- is a diamagnetic complex.