Give a valence bond description of the bonding in each of the following complexes. Include orbital diagrams for the free metal ion and the metal ion in the complex. Indicate which hybrid orbitals the metal ion uses for bonding, and specify the number of unpaired electrons.
(a) [Ti(H2O)6]3+

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Identify the oxidation state of the metal ion in the complex. For [Ti(H2O)_6]^{3+}, the oxidation state of Ti is +3.

Determine the electron configuration of the free metal ion. Titanium (Ti) has an atomic number of 22, so its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d^2 4s^2. For Ti^{3+}, remove three electrons, resulting in [Ar] 3d^1.

Draw the orbital diagram for the free Ti^{3+} ion, showing the 3d orbitals with one electron.

Consider the ligand field and the type of hybridization. Water (H2O) is a weak field ligand, so it does not cause pairing of electrons in the 3d orbitals. The Ti^{3+} ion will use d^2sp^3 hybrid orbitals to accommodate the six water ligands.

Determine the number of unpaired electrons. Since there is one electron in the 3d orbitals and no pairing occurs, there is one unpaired electron in the complex.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Valence Bond Theory

Valence Bond Theory (VBT) explains how atoms bond by overlapping their atomic orbitals to form covalent bonds. In this theory, the shape and orientation of the orbitals determine the geometry of the molecule. For transition metal complexes, VBT also involves hybridization, where atomic orbitals mix to create new hybrid orbitals that can accommodate bonding with ligands.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the process of combining atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals that are suitable for bonding. In the case of the complex [Ti(H2O)6]3+, titanium undergoes hybridization to form d2sp3 hybrid orbitals, which allows it to bond with six water molecules in an octahedral arrangement. Understanding the type of hybridization is crucial for predicting the geometry and bonding properties of the complex.

Unpaired Electrons and Magnetic Properties

The presence of unpaired electrons in a metal ion's d-orbitals influences its magnetic properties and reactivity. In the case of [Ti(H2O)6]3+, the titanium ion has three unpaired electrons in its d-orbitals, which contributes to its paramagnetic nature. Identifying the number of unpaired electrons is essential for understanding the electronic structure and behavior of the complex in various chemical contexts.

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Textbook Question

For each of the following, (i) give the systematic name of the compound and specify the oxidation state of the transition metal, (ii) draw a crystal field energy-level diagram and assign the d electrons to orbitals, (iii) indicate whether the complex is high-spin or low-spin (for d⁴ - d⁷ complexes), and (iv) specify the number of unpaired electrons.

(f) Na₂[Fe(CO)₄]

Textbook Question

Give a valence bond description of the bonding in each of the following complexes. Include orbital diagrams for the free metal ion and the metal ion in the complex. Indicate which hybrid orbitals the metal ion uses for bonding, and specify the number of unpaired electrons.

Textbook Question

(d) [MnCl6]32 (high-spin)

Give a valence bond description of the bonding in each of the following complexes. Include orbital diagrams for the free metal ion and the metal ion in the complex. Indicate which hybrid orbitals the metal ion uses for bonding, and specify the number of unpaired electrons.(a) [Ti(H2O)6]3+

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

Key Concepts

Valence Bond Theory

Hybridization

Unpaired Electrons and Magnetic Properties

Give a valence bond description of the bonding in each of the following complexes. Include orbital diagrams for the free metal ion and the metal ion in the complex. Indicate which hybrid orbitals the metal ion uses for bonding, and specify the number of unpaired electrons.
(a) [Ti(H2O)6]3+