CHE 3621 TEST 1

DURATION: 90 MINUTES
DATE: 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
TOTAL: 60 MARKS

1. Given that the compound Na2[PdCl4] is diamagnetic, deduce the hybridization

and the geometry of the complex. [4]

2. Calculate the crystal field stabilization energy for each of the following
complexes; (i) [PtI6]2-, (ii) [Ru(OH2)6]3+, (iii) [CoCN6]4-. [9]

3. Identify complex ions that will suffer from a Jahn Teller distortion from the
following list of compounds; [Co(PPh3)6]2+, [Mn(NH3)6]2+ , K3[CoBr6] and
[Mn(ox)3]3-. Rationalize your answer. [9]

4. Arrange the following compounds inorder of increasing Δoct values;

[Cr(H2O)6]2+, Cr(CN)6]3- and [Cr(CN)6]4-. Rationalize your answer. [4]

5. Draw a molecular orbital diagram for a sigma bonded complex ion of

[Ni(NH3)6]Cl2 [6]
(i) Calculate the Δo, then determine if it is low- or high-spin [2]
(ii) Which metal orbitals are utilized in forming molecular orbitals [3]
(iii) How many molecular orbitals will result from the overlap of the LGO’s (ligand
group orbitals) with the metal orbitals? Will any of the metals d-orbitals remain
non-bonding? If yes, which ones? [3]
(iv) What type of orbitals (bonding, non-bonding, antibonding) are the “crystal
field” orbitals? [2]

6. (a) Consider the molecular orbital diagrams of [Fe(CO)6]2+ and [FeCl6]3- (with
pi bonding) and state the number of electrons in the orbitals in the Table
below [10]
[Fe(CO)6] 2+ [FeCl6] 3-

3d metal orbitals
Ligand sigma orbitals
Ligand t2g orbitals
a1g molecular orbital
t1u molecular orbital
a1g molecular orbital
eg molecular orbital
t2g molecular orbital
 t2g* molecular orbital
eg* molecular orbital

(b) What is the total number of molecular orbitals for each complex ion [4]

(c) Calculate (i) the ligand field stabilization energy and (ii) the spin only
magnetic moment for each complex ion. [4]