Jimma University

School of graduate Studies

Colleges of Natura sciences

Department of Chemistry

Advanced Inorganic Chemistry:Chapter I: Inorganic Reactions in Aqueous

and non aqueous solvent

Chem 551 Worksheet I

Direction: Give a short Answer by supporting with an example or explanation where
necessary

1. Define the following terms/concept/ theory by supporting with examples

a) Bronsted-Lowry concept of acid and base theory
b) Lewis concept of Acid-Base theory
c) Solvent system of acid –Base theory
d) Hard Acid and Soft Acid
e) Levelling and non-levelling solvent
f) Metal electride
g) Eutectic salt and Ionic liquids
h) Super acids and super critical fluids
2. Mention at least three major applications of hard-soft-acid-base principles
3. Identify the conjugate bases corresponding to the following acids:
[Co(NH3)5(OH2)]3-, HSO4- , CH3OH & Si(OH)4.
4. Identify the conjugate acids of the bases: C5H5N, HPO4, O2-, [Co(CO)4]- &, CN.
5. Given lists of cations and molecules: H+, Li+, Na+. Mg2+ ,Al3+, SO3, BF3 ,Cu+ , Fe2+ , Cu2+
, Cr3+, Ag+, SO2, BBr3, Ni2+,Zn2+, Pb2+, Au+, Hg22+, Hg+, Hg2+. Classify them into hard acid,
soft acid and border lines
6. From O2-/S2-, with which Al3+/Pb2+ form a more stable compound and why?
7. Which member of the following pairs is the stronger acid? Give reasons for your choice.
(a) [Fe(OH2)6]3- or [Fe(OH2)6]2-, (b) HOCl or HOBr, (c) Si(OH)4 or Ge(OH)4, (d) HClO3
or HClO4, (e) H2CrO4 or HMnO4.
8. Arrange the oxides Al2O3, B2O3, BaO, CO2, Cl2O7, SO3 in order from the most acidic
through amphoteric to the most basic.
9. The ions Na+ and Ag+ have similar radii. Which aqua ion is the stronger acid? Why?
A) A) Given the reaction:HgO + H2S ⇌ HgS + H2O; to which direction it will go and why?
B) Complete the reaction: NH4Br + KNH2 
 Do questions 1a-e, 2, 3, 4,5,6,7 & 9 as an individual assignment

1
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: Chem 551 Worksheet II
Part I .Questions: (Give your answer clearly, readably and to the point)

1. Define the following terms/concept/ theory by being supported with examples

a) Valence Bond Theory (VBT)

b) Crystal Field Theory (CFT)
c) Ligand Field Theory (LFT)
d) Jahn-Teller Distortion

2. Mention at least two major limitations of VBT and CFT.

3. Discuss the nature of bonding in the following coordination entities on the
basis of valence bond theory:
(i) [Fe(CN)6]4– (ii) [FeF6]3– (iii) [Co(C2O4)3]3– (iv) [CoF6]3–

4. Given [Co(CN)6]3- and [Ni(Cl)6]3- complex ions:

a) Identify the inner and outer orbital complex b) the low spin and high spin complex c)
Indicate which complex is colored and not colored and give justification for it
5. A complex [NiCl4]2– is paramagnetic while [Ni(CO)4] is diamagnetic though both are
tetrahedral. Why?
6. a) Draw the Crystal field splitting of d-orbitals in free metal ion, metal ion in the
presence of octahedral , tetrahedral and square planar ligand fields
b) Mention at least two factors which influence crystal field splitting in coordination
compounds and explain the impact of increase or decrease in such parmeter on CFSE
7. Calculate the CFSE/LFSE for:d1 , d3, low and high spin d4,& d7 configurations
metal ion complex and put them in increasing order of stability (show your steps
clearly)
8. Explain why the stability of Cr(CO)6 is greater than Cr(NH3)6 based on LFT.

 Do questions No 1, 3 , 4, 6, 7 and 8 as an individual assignment

Chapter III: Electronic Spectra of Transition metal complexes

1 Define the following terms/phrases by supporting with example.

a) Microstate b) Russell-Saunders spectroscopic term symbol c) Orgel digram

2. Write the Russell-Saunders (R-) term symbols for states with the angular momentum and
spin quantum numbers (L, S): (a) (0, 1/2), (b) (2, 3/2), (c) (3,3/2), (d) (2,1/2).

3. Write the general notation of spectroscopic term symbol of free metal ion and its complex

4. State the selection rules for electronic spectra of transition metal complex.

5. Compare and contrast d-d transition bands and charge transfer bands

2
6. For the following complex ions, predict the number of bands and nature of possible
electronic transitions in UV-vis spectrum and put them in the order of increasing energy
a) [Ti (H2O) 6]3+ b) [Cr(H2O)6]3+ c) [FeCl4]- d) [Ni(NH3)6]2+

7. Explain why the molar absorptivity of [Co(H2O)6]2+ is 10 L mol-1 cm-1

while that for [CoCl4]2- is 600 L mol-1 cm-1.

8. Given 3d2 configurations; then answer the following questions/problems:

a) Determine the number microstate for the configurations:

b) Determine the major possible energy states for the configurations and put them in

increasing order of energy

9. Derive the R-S ground term symbol for octahedral Cr3+ ion. (ZCr=24)

10. Discuss the use of electronic spectral data for the structure elucidation of transition
metal complexes.

11. A solution of [Ni(H2O)6]2+ is green but a solution of [Ni(CN)4]2– is colorless.Explain.

12 Match the energy of the electronic spectral band with the appropriate complex, and explain
your answer. (Energy: 20,100 cm–1 22,300 cm–1) (Complexes: [Ti(H2O)6]3+, [Ti(CN)6]3–)

 Do question No. 1 (a, b), 2, 6, 8 , 9 & 12 as an individual assignment