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Frequently Asked Question
Questions asked by users might not always be phrased in the clearest way.
Which ligand Cl, H2O, ox or en presents peaks with the shortest wavelengths?
Accepted Answer
The ligand with the shortest wavelength peaks is Cl-. Here's why:
Ligand Field Theory: The color of transition metal complexes arises from the absorption of light, which excites electrons in the metal's d-orbitals. Ligands affect the energy levels of these d-orbitals.
Spectrochemical Series: The spectrochemical series ranks ligands based on their ability to split d-orbital energies. Ligands that cause a large splitting (strong-field ligands) lead to higher energy transitions and shorter wavelengths of light absorbed.
Cl- vs. H2O, ox, and en: Cl- is a weak-field ligand, while H2O, ox (oxalate), and en (ethylenediamine) are stronger-field ligands. The stronger the field, the larger the d-orbital splitting, and the shorter the wavelength of light absorbed.
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