Chemistry of d Block

Elements
Class 12
Position in the Periodic Table
Electronic Configuration
• General electronic configuration – (n-1) d1-10 ns1-2

What is the configuration of Copper(29) and Cr (24)?

• Cu = [Ar]4s23d9 or [Ar]4s13d10?
• Cr = [Ar]4s23d4 or [Ar]4s13d5?
What is the factor that leads to such exceptional configuration?
• Extra stability due to half filled or completely filled orbitals.
Which metals are considered to be true transition metals?
• Metals which have incompletely filled d orbitals in their ground state or in
their ions which is in the significant oxidation state.
Why are Zn, Cd and Hg not considered to be transition metals?
• Presence of completely filled d orbitals in both atom and ion.
Atomic Radius
• Observations:
1) The d block elements have smaller radius than s block but have
bigger radius than the p block in a given series.
Reason: Effective nuclear charge increases across the period.

2) Atomic radius decreases in a transition series. But the decrease

become small after midway.
Reason: Interplay of 2 factors:
• Effective nuclear charge increases across the series.
• Shielding effect increases with filling up of electrons in the n-1 shell.
Atomic Radius
3) A slight increase in atomic radius at the end of each series.
Reason: Electron electron repulsion due to completely filled orbitals.

4) Atomic radii increases down the group. But atomic radii of the 2nd
and the 3rd series are almost the same.
Reason:
• Increase in the electronic shell
• Lanthanoid contraction
Ionic Radius
• Observations:
1) For the same element, ionic radius decreases with increase in
oxidation state.
Reason: on losing electrons, effective nuclear charge increases.

2) For the same oxidation state, ionic radius decreases across a

transition series.
Reason: Increase in effective nuclear charge across the series.
Metallic Properties and Lattice Structure
• Observations:
1) Exhibits typical metallic properties.
Reasons:
• Low ionization energy
• Formation of metallic bond
2) Metals are very hard:
Reason: Presence of unpaired d electrons which overlap to form
covalent bond
Why do you think Cr is very hard and Zn, Cd and Hg are soft metals?
Ionization Enthalpy
• Observations:
1) The IE of these metals lie between those of s block and p block
elements in a given period.
Reason: Increase in effective nuclear charge across a period.
2) The first IE increases across a series although the increase is not very
regular.
Reason: Interplay of two factors:
• Increase in effective nuclear charge
• Shielding effect
1) The IE of the 3rd transition series is higher than the 1st and 2nd
transition series in a given group.
Reason: Lanthanoid contraction
Oxidation State
• Observations
1) Metals show variable valency.
2) Lower oxidation state involves ns electrons and higher oxidation
state involves ns and (n-1)d electron.

Reason: The energy level of ns and (n-1)d orbitals are comparable.

Formation of Coloured Ions
• Observation
1) Most of the transition metals have coloured ions both in solid and
aqueous state.
2) Sc3+ , Zn2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ are white in colour.
3) Cu2+ is blue in colour.
Reason:
• Presence of unpaired electron in the d orbital
• d-d transition
• Absence of unpaired d electron in zinc, cadmium and mercury ions
(completely filled d orbitals).
• Vacant d orbitals in scandium (3+) Ion.
What is d-d
transition?
Why Copper 2+ ion is blue in colour?
Magnetic Properties
• Observations:
1) Most transition metals are paramagnetic.
2) Paramagnetic behaviour increases across the series till midway and
then it decreases.
3) Paramagnetic behaviour in Manganese is highest in the series.
4) Zinc, Cadmium and Mercury are diamagnetic in nature.
Reasons:
• Presence of unpaired electrons in the d orbitals.
• Each electron behave as a micromagnet due to the spin of the
electron and its movement in the orbit.
Catalytic Properties
Observations:
Many transition metals and their compounds behave as catalysts.
Reasons:
• Presence of vacant d orbitals
• Ability to exhibit variable oxidation state
• Tendency to form complexes
Mode of Action:
• The elements form unstable reaction intermediates with reactants and
lowers the activation energy. These intermediates decompose to give the
final products
• The finely divided metals/compounds provide free valency leading to
adsorption of reactants on their surfaces.
Complex Formation
• Observation:
1) Transition metal ions form a large number of complex compounds.
2) The negative ion/neutral molecule (ligand) attach to the central ion
to form the complex.
3) The ligand forms a coordinate bond with the central ion
Reasons:
• Small size
• High nuclear charge
• Available of vacant d orbitals to accommodate lone pair of electrons
from the ligands
Alloy Formation
• Observation:
Transition metals form a number of alloys
Reason:
• The transition metals have similar atomic radius.
• Thus, one metal can easily replace another in the lattice to form the alloy.

Reason for similar size of the transition metals:

1) Interplay of increase in effective nuclear charge and shielding effect
across the period
2) Lanthanoid contraction down the group
What are Interstitial compounds?
• These are compounds which are formed when small
atoms like hydrogen, carbon or nitrogen get trapped
in the lattice of the metals.
• The small atoms occupy the vacant spaces
(interstices).
• They are hard and rigid as the vacant spaces are
occupied.
• Chemical properties of metals are not impacted but
physical properties are altered.
Examples – Cast Iron, Steel (Iron + carbon)