Transition Metals Flashcards
Where are the transition metal elements found in the periodic table?
The central d block of the periodic table
Where are the transition metal elements found in the periodic table?
The central d block of the periodic table
What are the common properties of period 4 elements?
- they form complex ions
- their ions are coloured
- they show catalytic activity
- their oxidation states are variable
What is a transition metal defined as?
An element that has an incomplete d subshell either in the element or in one of its ions
What are the properties of transition elements directly related to?
The electronic structures of their atoms
The 4s subshell usually fills before the 3d subshell. What can chromium and copper do that leads to a more stabilised d subshell?
They can promote a 4s electron to the d subshell and this gives rise to a half-filled and fully filled d shell which are stabilised.
Why do transition metal atoms lose 4s electrons before 3d electrons?
Because if electrons occupy the 3d subshell the 4s subshell increases to a higher energy level
Why are zinc and scandium not considered transition metals?
- the normal ion formed in scandium compounds is Sc(III). This has no electrons in the d orbital - its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d04s0 so it isn’t considered a transition metal
- zinc forms Zn(II) compounds with the configuration [Ar]3d104s0. It is not considered a transition metal because the d subshell is complete
What do transition metals in water solutions do?
Form coordination complexes with water
What are complexes with water ligands called and how may they be represented?
They’re called metal-aqua ions and may be representer as Co2+(aq) ect..
In a complex what is the number of bonds formed between the metal ion and lone pair from the ligands called?
The coordination number
What are ligands?
Molecules or ions which share an electron pair with a metal ion to form a coordination complex
What is the reaction of the replacement of one or more ligands called?
Ligand substitution
What are divalent meral-aqua ions?
They have a 2+ charge
What is the trend in the reactivity of divalent metal aqua ions in the fourth period?
It increases from Mn2+ to Cu2+
What happens to the coordination mumber in ligand substitution between water and ammonia?
It doesn’t change as they are neutral molecules of similar size
What is complete and incomplete ligand substitution?
- complete substitution occurs when all ligands are replaced
* incomplete substitution occurs when only some of the ligands are replaced
What is the overall reaction of Cu2+(aq) with NH3 made up of?
Four seperate equilibrium reactions. And each of these ligand substitution reactions has it’s own equilibrium constant
What can the equations for all the ligand substitution reactions be simplified to give?
A dissociation constant of the complex Kd
What is the formation constant, Kf?
The reciprocal of the complex dissociation constant
Kf=1/Kd
Why does the ligand substitution of water with Cl- from H involve a change in coordination number from 6 to 4?
[Cu(H2O)6]2+ + 4Cl- [CuCl4]2- + 6H2O
Becayse halide ions are negatively charged ligands that are much larger than water or ammonia and metal ions of the fourth period are too small to coordinate six halide ions
What is the difference between bidentate ligands and monodentate ligands?
Bidentate ligands have two electron pairs each (are said to have two teeth) whereas monodentate ligands have one electron pair (one tooth)
What are multidentate ligands and what do they form with transition metals?
They have more than two electron pairs. They can form very stable complexes with transition metal ions
What are all chemical reactions governed by?
The second law of thermodynamics?
What reaction is Kf proportional to the inverse of?
The free energy of the reaction:
DeltaG° = deltaH° -TdeltaS°
DeltaG° = gibbs free energy of the reaction DeltaH° = enthalpy change T = absolute temperature in K DeltaS° = entropy change
What does the feasibility of a reaction happening depend on?
The magnitudes of the two energy terms deltaH° and deltaS°
What does a high or low value of Kf indicate?
A high value of Kf indicates the forward reaction is thermodynamically favoured and a low value indicates the reverse reaction is favoured
The enthalpy content when Co2+ is bonded to a molecule of sarcophagine is similar to when it is bonded to six molecules of ammonia. What does this mean for the enthalpy change and the entropy change?
- the enthalpy change for the reaction is very small
- the entropy change has a high positive value. Thisbis because the forward reaction is between one ion and one molecule producing one ion and six molecules, the system has become more disordered. Therefore it is an entropy driven reaction
How does haemoglobin pick up oxygen?
Each haemoglobin molecule contains four chelating agents called haem groups, each coordinated to an Fe2+ ion. Fe2+ is also coordinated by one histidine amino acid of the protein and one molecule of water. This molecule of water is replaced by O2 in the pulmonary alveoli by ligand substitution:
Hb(H2O) + O2 Hb(O2) + H2O
What are transition metals arranged in if the coordination number is 6?
Octahedral symmetry
What is the shape of transition metal complexes in the coordination number is 4?
Tetrahedral or square planar
What is the shape of the transition metal complex if the coordination number is 2?
Linear
What does the size of the ligand have an effect on?
The coordination number and shape (symmetry) of the complex
What ligands form an octahedral complex?
Water, ammonia and cyanide
What can octahedral complexes with two or three different ligands exist as?
Cis or trans isomers, depending on the position of the coordinating ligands around the metal. (Same side = cis) (opposite side = trans)
Which octahedral complex exists as a pair of enantiomers?
An octahedral complex with bidentate ligands
Which ions have a preffered geomtery of a tetrahedral complex?
Larger ions such as chloride ions
What prefers a square planar geometry?
Complexes of large metal ions with coordination number 4
In a square planar complex in what configuration can the ligands be arranged in?
In a cis or trans configuration. In the cis configuration the A ligands are adjacent and in the trans configuration the A ligands are opposite eachother with respect to the metal ion.
What property is used in the silver mirror test to distinguish between ketones and aldehydes?
The complex formed in Tollens reagent will react with compounds that are easily oxidised to form metallic silver.
Dilute ammonia is added to silver nitrate solution until the precipitate of Ag2O which is formed initially redussolves. The solution formed is called Tollens reagent and contains the soluble [Ag(NH3)2]+ ion. When Tollens reagent is warmed with an aldehyde the aldehyde is oxidised to an acid and the silver ion is reduced to silver, which forms a silver mirror on the surface of the container
What is a typical property of the transition metal compounds?
That they’re coloured
How is colour produced?
When some parts of the visible spectrum are absorbed and others are reflected
What do the colours of transition metal compounds depend on?
The electronic configuration of the metal ion
What happens when light falls on a coloured solid?
Some wavelengths are absorbed and others are reflected. The reflected wavelengths are what we see
What happens when light falls on a coloured solution?
Some wave lengths are absorbed and others pass through. The wavelengths that pass through are what we see