What type of hybridization occurs in the complex ion [Ni(CN)4]2-?

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Q: What type of hybridization occurs in the complex ion [Ni(CN)4]2-?

Solution: In [Ni(CN)4]2-, nickel has a coordination number of 4 and uses dsp2 hybridization.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Identify the central metal ion in the complex ion [Ni(CN)4]2-. The central metal ion is nickel (Ni).
Step 2: Determine the oxidation state of nickel in the complex. Since CN- is a -1 charge and there are 4 CN- ligands, the total negative charge is -4. The overall charge of the complex is -2, so nickel must be in the +2 oxidation state.
Step 3: Find the electron configuration of nickel in the +2 oxidation state. Nickel has an atomic number of 28, so its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d8 4s2. In the +2 state, it loses 2 electrons from the 4s orbital, resulting in [Ar] 3d8.
Step 4: Determine the coordination number of the complex. The coordination number is the number of ligands attached to the central metal ion. In this case, there are 4 CN- ligands, so the coordination number is 4.
Step 5: Identify the type of hybridization based on the coordination number. A coordination number of 4 typically corresponds to either sp3 or dsp2 hybridization. However, since CN- is a strong field ligand, it causes pairing of the 3d electrons.
Step 6: Conclude the hybridization. With the pairing of electrons and a coordination number of 4, nickel uses dsp2 hybridization to form the complex [Ni(CN)4]2-.