-->

Coordination Compounds

Question
CBSEENCH12011066

Which of these statements about [Co(CN)6]3- is true?

  • [Co(CN)6]3- has no unpaired electrons and will be in a low-spin configuration.

  • [Co(CN)6]3-  has four unpaired electrons and will be in a low-spin configuration

  • [Co(CN)6]3-  has four unpaired electrons and will be in high-spin configuration.

  • [Co(CN)6]3-  has no unpaired electrons and will be in a high spin configuration.

Solution

A.

[Co(CN)6]3- has no unpaired electrons and will be in a low-spin configuration.

[Co(CN)6]-3
electronic configuration of Co : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d6.
CN- is a strong field ligand and as it approaches the metal ion, the electrons must pair up. 
The splitting of the d -orbitals into two sets of orbitals in an octahedral [Co(CN6)]3- may be represented as,
 
Here, for d6 ions, three electrons first enter orbitals with parallel spin put the remaining may pay up in t2g orbital giving rise  to low spin complex.