Strong crystal fields

Free- ion terms Weak crystal field Intermediate crystal field Strong- field terms Strong-field configurations... 

The approach we have adopted for the d configuration began from the so-called strong-field limit. This is to be contrasted to the weak-field scheme that we describe in Section 3.7. In the strong-field approach, we consider the crystal-field splitting of the d orbitals first, and then recognize the effects of interelectron repulsion. The opposite order is adopted in the weak-field scheme. Before studying this alternative approach, however, we must review a little of the theory of free-ion spectroscopy... 

We note that three spin-allowed electronic transitions should be observed in the d-d spectrum in each case. We have, thus, arrived at the same point established in Section 3.5. This time, however, we have used the so-called weak-field approach. Recall that the adjectives strong-field and weak-field refer to the magnitude of the crystal-field effect compared with the interelectron repulsion energies represented by the Coulomb term in the crystal-field Hamiltonian,... 

Of course, in real systems, the relative contributions of Coulomb and crystal-field effects are such as to place chromophores somewhere inbetween the weak-and strong-field limits. In that case, a real Txg F) A2g transition is not a pure two-electron jump, so that some intensity is observed. 

Consider first blue sapphire Al203 Ti(III), Fe(III) (Fig. 2). In the absence of Fe(III) the absorption spectrum is easy to interpret. The weak band with a maximum at about 500 nm is due to the t2 —> e crystal-field transition on Ti(III) (3d ), the strong band at 2<280nm is due to a Ti(III)-0( — II) LMCT transition. The absorption band in the region around 700 nm in the case of the codoped crystal cannot be due to Fe(III). It has been ascribed to MMCT, i.e. to a transition within an iron-titanium pair ... 

An interesting case is the optical absorption of M(II)-doped MgTi205 [33]. The spectra of interest are given in Fig. 3. The undoped MgTi205 shows a strong optical absorption which starts at about 320 nm. This is due to the 0( - II)-Ti(IV) LMCT transition. The spectra of MgTijOj doped with Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) show considerable additional absorption in the visible. Only Co(II) and Ni(II) are expected to show spin-allowed crystal-field transitions in this spectral range [14]. These are in fact observed (see Fig. 3) ... 

Foyt et al. [137] interpreted the quadrupole-splitting parameters of low-spin ruthenium(II) complexes in terms of a crystal field model in the strong-field approximation with the configuration treated as an equivalent one-electron problem. They have shown that, starting from pure octahedral symmetry with zero quadrupole splitting, A q increases as the ratio of the axial distortion to the spin-orbit coupling increases. 

Literature data are available on the electronic structures of two more binuclear technetium complexes [(NHjLlOHLTcf/i-O TcfOH NHj ] (a hypothetical complex with the structure and composition analogous to those of the ethylen-diamminetetra-acetate complex [54,55]) and Tc2(CO)10 (a binuclear complex with strong crystal field ligands [168,169]. We shall consider the results of these calculations in greater detail. 

Although the qualitative aspects of the g tensor may be easily determined, a calculation of the exact values requires a knowledge of AE, which, in the case of NO and 02-, is a strong function of the crystal field. The adsorbed NO and 02 molecules offer an excellent opportunity to study crystal field... 

FIGURE 5.16 Crystal-field pictures for the low-spin d5 system in deformed octahedra. (a) relative energy of d-orbitals for an octahedron with strong crystal field (b) d-orbitals of the T2s set in a rhombically distorted octahedron (c) three possible electron configurations of increasing total energy (d) the term scheme for the configurations in (c). 

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