Which of the following statements is true regarding the complex ion [Fe(CN)6]3-?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following statements is true regarding the complex ion [Fe(CN)6]3-?
It is a high-spin complex
It is a low-spin complex
It has a coordination number of 4
It is paramagnetic
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following statements is true regarding the complex ion [Fe(CN)6]3-?
Step 1: Identify the complex ion [Fe(CN)6]3-. This means it has one iron (Fe) atom and six cyanide (CN-) ligands.
Step 2: Understand what a ligand is. A ligand is a molecule that can donate a pair of electrons to a metal atom.
Step 3: Recognize that CN- is a strong field ligand. This means it has a strong ability to attract electrons.
Step 4: Know that strong field ligands cause electrons in the metal to pair up in lower energy orbitals instead of occupying higher energy orbitals.
Step 5: Determine the electron configuration of Fe. Iron (Fe) has 26 electrons, and in its +3 oxidation state (Fe3+), it has 23 electrons.
Step 6: In the presence of six CN- ligands, the electrons in Fe3+ will pair up due to the strong field nature of CN-, leading to a low-spin configuration.
Step 7: Conclude that [Fe(CN)6]3- is a low-spin complex because the strong field ligand CN- causes the pairing of electrons.
