Introduction to ArtificiaI Intelligence in Higher Education
Merits and demerits of crystal field theory
1. Merits and Demerits of Crystal
Field Theory
Dr. Mithil S. Fal Desai
Assistant Professor in Chemistry
SHREE MALLIKARJUN
&
Shri Chetan Manju Desai College
Canacona Goa
1. Concise Inorganic Chemistry, J. D. Lee, Chapman & Hall India, 4rth Edition, Year 1991
2. Inorganic Chemistry: Principle of structure and reactivity, J. E. Huheey, E. A. Keiter. R. L.
Keiter, O. K. Medhi, Pearson Education India, 4rth Edition, Year 2006
2. Merits of Crystal Field Theory
2
• Explains the split degeneracy of d-orbitals in a
complex.
• Theory does explain the colour and spectra of
complexes.
• Accounts for magnetic property of the
complexes.
• Explains the stability of particular oxidation state
in aqueous solutions.
3. Demerits of Crystal Field Theory
• Interaction of metal ligand is considered purely electrostatic.
• Only electrons from d orbital of the metal ion are considered
(other orbitals such as s and p are not taken into consideration)
and no significance to the orbits of the ligands.
• Complexes in which metal oxidation state is zero and ligand is
neutral does not explain the electrostatic attraction between
the metal and the ligands. Eg. [Cr(C6H6)2]
• Does not explain the relative strength of ligands in
spectrochemical series. (Why H2O is strong field ligand than OH-)
• Does not consider any π bonding (double bond and triple bond)
in complexes.