13.

2 Coloured Complexes
Hydrogen emission spectra vs complex ions
– Hydrogen:
– Colour is seen as it emits energy in a certain frequency of light
– Visible, UV, IR
– e- excited ==> brought back down (relaxed)
– Complex ions
– Complementary colours are seen as it absorbs a certain
wavelength of light
– Visible only
– 400-700nm
– e- move between d-orbitals

Coloured complex ions

– when the white light is applied to the surface of the substance, a
certain light is absorbed
– What we see is the complementary colour of the light
absorbed
– Shorter the wavelength, greater the energy
– E=hv
– The colour that will be transmitted can be predicted by
complementary colour in absorption spectra
– Maximum wavelength = maximum absorption
– Ones with partially filled d-orbitals are coloured
– Excitation of e- are happening within the d-orbital
– D-orbital no longer becomes degenerate (non-degenerate)
– Ligands cause the unequal energy values within the d-orbitals
– Unlike H, once e- is excited, ligands come in to prevent the
falling back of e- in complex ions.

– when the ligands along the axes meet with the non-degenerate d-
orbitals, the d-orbitals split
– t2g: lower energy
– Less e- repulsion
 – Eg: higher energy
– Greater e- repulsion due to interaction between d-orbitals
and ligands
– energy gap
– Larger gap = higher energy photons absorbed
– Smaller gap = lower energy photons absorbed

Summary
1. Non-degenerate d-orbitals
2. Splitting of d-orbitals into Eg and t2g
3. The splitting occurs due to ligands binding onto the central metal
cation
4. ∂E is
1. Large = small wavelength absorbed
2. Small = large wavelength absorbed

Questions (*for later!)

• What are the root reasons for the varied coloured complexes  of
transition metal ions?
—> The presence of ligands prevent the excited electrons to be relaxed
back down again, allowing the split of the d-orbitals into two parts.

• Based on our knowledge of atomic structure, can we form frameworks

to make predictions on the colour of compounds?

• Can we predict the changes in colour by adding different chemical to

a complex ion solution?