5.3.2 Transition Metals and Their Chemistry Flashcards
Where are transition elements found?
In the d-block.
Name all the transition elements you need to know about.
Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel and Copper.
Where are the highest energy electrons in the first row transition elements?
In the 4s and 3d subshells.
How many 4s and 3d electrons does iron have?
26-18 = 8
Which electron subshells are filled first in transition elements?
4s except in chromium and copper.
Which elements do not have a full 4s subshell?
Copper and Chromium.
Give the subshell notation of the electronic configuration of vanadium.
[Ar] 3d3 4s2
What is the definition of a transition metal?
One that can form one or more stable ions with a partially filled d-subshell.
Why are scandium and zinc transition metals?
Because they do not form stallions with a partially filled d-subshell.
Give the subshell notation for Sc3+ and explain why it is not a transition ion.
[Ar] the d-subshell is empty.
Why isn’t Zn2+ a transition ion?
Because zinc loses both the 4s electrons first, leaving a full d-subshell.
When a transition metal forms a positive ion, which electrons are removed first?
The 4s electrons.
What are the successive ionisation energies of transition metals evidence for?
Their electronic configuration.
The first ionisation energy from Sc to Cu is roughly the same, what doe this show?
Transition elements all have similar electronic structure, and lose electrons form the same shell, 4s.
Describe the trend of second ionisation energy across the transition elements.
It steadily increases across the elements which Cr and Cu being slightly higher than expected.
Why are the second ionisation energies of Cr and Cu slightly higher than expected?
Because the electron is taken from much nearer to the nucleus, the 3d shell, so more energy is needed to remove it.
Describe the third ionisation energy of the transition elements.
It steadily increase across the elements but steps down slightly at iron.
What causes the step down at iron of third ionisation energies across the transient elements.
From iron onward the electron is removed from a paired 3d orbital, which is slightly easier due to electron repulsion.
Give four special chemical properties of transition elements.
They can form complex ions. They form coloured ions in solution. They can act as good catalysts. They can exist in variable oxidation states.
What is a complex ion?
A metal ions surrounded by dative covalently bonded ligands.
What is a dative covalent bond?
A covalent bond where both electrons in the shared pair come from the same atom.
What is a ligand?
An atom, ion or molecule that donates a pair of electrons to the central metal ion.
What is the coordination number of a complex ion?
The number of dative covalent bonds that are formed with the central metal ion.
Give two common coordination numbers that your need to learn about.
4 and 6
Name three small ligands that usually result in a coordination number of 6.
H2O, CN- and NH3.
What is a metal-aqua complex ion and how is it formed?
Six water molecules forming dative covalent bonds with a metal ion. They occur when transition metal compounds dissolve in water.
Give one example of a larger ligand, which usually results in a coordination number of 4.
Cl-
What is the name for when one ligand is swapped for another, and what is the result of this?
Ligand substitution. It usually causes a colour change.
What shape are complex ions with 6 dative covalent bonds?
Octahedral.
What shape are the majority of complexes with 4 dative covalent bonds?
Tetrahedral.
Name a shape that complexes with 4 dative covalent bonds can take other than tetrahedral.
Square planar.
Give two examples of tetrahedral complexes.
[CuCl4]2- and [CrCl4]-
Give two examples of square planar complexes.
Cis/transplatin, [Pt(NH3)2Cl2]. Cisplatin is used in chemotherapy.
How many dative covalent bonds so linear complexes have?
2
Give two examples of linear complexes.
[CuCl2]- and [Ag(NH3)2]+
What does the overall charge of a complex represent?
Its total oxidisation state.
How can you calculate the oxidation state of the metal ion?
Total oxidation state - sum of oxidation states of the ligands.
What is the oxidation state of the CN- ion?
-1
What is required for a ligand to form a dative covalent bond?
A lone pair of electrons.
What is the name for ligands with one lone pair that forms a dative covalent bond with the metal ion?
Monodentate ligands (unidentate).
What is the name for ligands with two lone pairs?
Bidentate ligands.
What is the name for liagdns with more than tow lone pairs?
Polydentate ligands.
Give an example of a hexadentate ligand.
EDTA4-
Name a polydentate ligand found in the human body.
Haemoglobin.
What happens to the 3d subshell when a complex is formed?
The repulsion between 3d electrons and the ligands increase the energy of all 3d orbitals but some more than others, splitting them into two different energy levels.
Why are complexes coloured?
Electrons can jump move up to the higher energy level in the 3d orbital by absorbing visible light (photons). The colour of light absorbed is the complement of the colour that the ion appears to be.
The complex [Cu(H2O)6]2+ absorbs yellow light. What colour would a solution of this complex be?
Blue.