ANEEZA KOKAB

1049

MLCT:
Metal-to-Ligand Charge-Transfer transition.
•If the metal is in a low oxidation state (electron rich) and the ligand possesses
low-lying empty orbitals (e.g., CO or CN − ).
•LMCT transitions are common for coordination compounds having π-acceptor
ligands.
• Upon the absorption of light, electrons in the metal orbitals are excited to the
ligand π* orbitals.
•MLCT transitions result in intense bands. Forbidden d – d transitions may also
occur.
• This transition results in the oxidation of the metal.

CONDITIONS:
1. Presence of pi accepting ligands CO, NO, CN-, N2, bipy, phen, RNC, C5H5 -,
C=C, C=C
2. Metal in 0,+1,+2 oxidation states ( low oxidation state).
Tris(bipyridyl)iron(II):
An example of an MLCT transition is the one responsible for the red color of
tris(bipyridyl)iron(II), the complex used for the colorimetric analysis of Fe(II). In
this case, an electron makes a transition for a d orbital of the central metal into a
π*orbital of the ligand.

A d electron from the ruthenium atom is excited to a bipyridine anti-bonding

orbital. The very broad absorption band is due to the excitation of the electron to
various vibrationally excited states of the π* electronic state.
SPECTRA