Using the 18-electron rule, explain why V(CO) 6 can be easily reduced to [V(CO) 6 ] – .

So using the 18 electron rule, explain why Vcl6 can be easily reduced to its new complex ion form here. Alright. So to do this, we're gonna figure out what the electron count is of the structure originally. We start out with vanadium. If you look at your periodic table, you'll see that the electron configuration of vanadium is argon 4s2 3d3. By adding up the s and d orbital electrons, we'll see that the valence count for vanadium is 5. Minus the charge of our original structure, it has no charge so it's 0. Plus the number of x type ligands. Here our carbonyl is not an x type ligand, it's an l type ligand. So this is 0, plus 2 times the number of l types ligands which is 6. So that comes out to 17 for the electron count. Now, by gaining 1 electron, it get gets a charge of minus 1. So now, its electron count becomes 5 minus a minus 1, plus 0, plus 2 times 6. So that becomes 5 plus 1 which is 6, plus another 12 is 18. Remember, when it comes to transition metals, they're trying to get to that ideal number of 18 electrons. So they can more resemble a noble gas. This explains why our original structure would gladly accept an additional electron because that would take it from an electron count of 17 which is not ideal to 18 which is much more ideal. Also remember when it comes to the valence groups from 8 to 11, some of those transition metals are happy, with 16 electrons. Electrons. Vanadium doesn't fall within the 8 to 11 valence groups, so it wants to get to 18 electrons. So it would much rather gain an electron that case, an electron count will become 16, which would not be ideal for vanadium. And remember the the valence groups of 8 to 11, the 2 transition metals that are okay with having 16 for their electron count are predominantly nickel and palladium. Again, vanadium doesn't fall within that group, so it wants to get to 18. So its best case would be to gain one electron like we have here. So, just remember, we're gonna be applying this 18 and 16 electron rule to discuss how transition metals would rather gain electrons or lose electrons to become more stable within our organic reaction.