1.

Please use electron configuration, Hund’s rules, microstates tables, l, ML, MS, L and
S values to predict the number of microstates and the terms for Si atom and the energy
ordering for these terms.
Please briefly describe
(1) the electron configuration of Si,
(2) the predicted energy ordering

2. Please listen the terms, the state of these terms for d2 configuration and explain the
electronic transitions for d2 configuration using terms of d2, states of terms, the
relative energy order for the terms for d2 configuration, spin multiplicity, selection
rule, L value, ground state, excited state.

3. Please give one example of d10. Listen the term and briefly explain its ground state
term using its electron configuration, L values, J values, spin multiplicity.

4. What is Russell–Saunders coupling scheme, and why it cannot be used for all
elements? What is jj-coupling scheme and when do we need jj-coupling scheme?

5. Please use quantum number and, spin-orbit coupling constant to deduce all the
possible J values and degeneracy for a 3F term.

6. Please write down term split for 2D, 3P and 3F in an octahedral field.

7. Please describe how we can use quantum numbers (e.g. ml values), components in
tetrahedral field, spin multiplicity to determine the ground term and state of term for a
weak field d1 ion.
(Describe only the results. The table of microstates DO NOT need to be constructed.)

8. Please show how we can use quantum numbers and terms to obtain the ground state,
excited states for d2 ion, tetrahedral field component and octahedral field components.

9. Account for the observation that the colour of trans-[Co(en)2F2]+ is less intense than
those of cis-[Co(en)2F2]+ and trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]+.
Please use symmetry rule, effect of orbitals, charge-transfer mechanism to briefly ex-
plain such phenomena in 2-3 sentences.

10. Please assign the d-d transitions for [Ti(OH2)6]2+, and use electron configuration,
Crystal-field theory, Jahn-Teller effect, excited state electronic configuration
to explain the variation in d-d transitions for [Ti(OH2)6]2+ and [Ti(OH2)6] 3+.

11. Please use appendix below to write the terms, assignment of transitions, and their
energies (∆oct and Racah parameter B) for the electronic spectrum arising from a
d3 configuration. Lastly, please explain the limitation of using this method to
determine Racah parameter B.
12. Values of the Racah parameter B for free gaseous Cr3+, Mn2+ and Ni2+ ions are 918,
960 and 1041 cm–1, respectively. For the corresponding hexaaqua ions, values of B
are 725, 835 and 940 cm–1.
Suggest what information we can obtain from Racah parameters and detailly explain
how the reduction in B on forming each complex ion.

13. Explain why in high-spin octahedral complexes, orbital contributions to the

magnetic moment are only important for d1, d2, d6 and d7 configurations.

14. Please calculate magnetic moment (spin-only) for K3[TiF6] and explain
the variation between observed magnetic moment and spin-only magnetic moment
using electron configuration 、 orbitals transformation and component of angular
momentum.

15. Using geometry of complex, electronic configuration, ground state configuration,

magnetic property of complex, to explain the observations that octahedral
Ni(II) complexes have magnetic moments in the range 2.9 – 3.4 mB , tetrahedral
Ni(II) complexes have magnetic moments up to ~ 4.1 mB, and square planar
Ni(II) complexes are diamagnetic.

16. For which of the following ions would you expect the spin-only formula to give
reasonable estimates of the magnetic moment:
(a) [Cr(NH3)6]3+ (b) [V(OH2)6]3+ and (c) [CoF6]3-.
Please using orbital contribution, electron configurations, geometry of complex, and
term to rationalize your answer.

17. Value of ∆oct for [Ni(OH2)6]2+ and high-spin [Mn(OH2)6]3+ have been evaluated
spectroscopically as 8500 cm-1 and 21000 cm-1 respectively.
Assuming that these value also hold for the corresponding oxide lattices, predict
whether NiIIMn2IIIO4 should have the normal or inverse spinel structure. What factors
might make your prediction unreliable?

18. Would you expect there to be an orbital contribution to the magnetic moment of a
tetrahedral d8 complex?
Please use geometry of complex, electron configuration, orbitals contribution or
orbitals transformation to explain for your answer.

19. Please elaborate the electronic spectrum of [V(OH2)6]3+.

Elaboration must contain number of bands to be detected, estimation of wavenumbers
of bands in electronic spectrum, electronic configuration of complex, predicted
transition (using Orgel diagram), and assignments for the transition for each band.
20. Please give definition for
(a) elementary step
(b) rate-determining step
(c) activation energy
(d) intermediate
(e) transition state
(f) rate equation
(g) nucleophile

21. Please explain why trans-[PtL2Cl2] + Y can give trans-[PtL2ClY]+ and Cl- as
products? In what situation we can obtain both cis and trans-isomers from
trans-[PtL2Cl2] + Y?

22. Please explain what is anation reaction and use geometry of complex, electronic
configuration to predict the trend for [M(OH2)6]3+ using Co, Rh and Ir in anation
experiments.

23. Below is a reaction can be carried out in H2(18O), the water in the complex
contains equal proportions of H2(18O) and H2(16O).

Please write a detailed description for the mechanism (description must contain:
ligands being transformed, ligands being attacked, eliminated products, steps being
involved, oxidation states of complexes after each steps and position of H2(18O) and
H2O in final product.)

24. If, in an electron-transfer process, there is both electron and ligand transfer
between reagents, please propose what mechanism involve in the process and describe
the steps in the mechanisms.
25. Please use spin property of Os(II) and Os(III), kinetic property, and states and
structures properties during electron transfer between two metal centres to explain
why very fast electron transfer between low-spin octahedral Os(II) and Os(III) in a
self-exchange reaction is possible.