The Bonding Contributions of d Orbitals

Furthermore, as discussed in Section 6.7, the ability of the elastic d orbitals to function as electron sinks contributes greatly to the rich variety of redox chemistry that is so characteristic of the cf-block elements. Here too, therefore, we recognize the bonding role of the d orbitals in Werner-type complexes as well as in carbonyl-type chemistry. 

In many respects, this is the kernel of this book. For years it has not been too clear how one could consistently account for the wide variety of transition-metal chemistry in a way that does not conflict with the equally varied phenomena of spectroscopy and magnetochemistry that are so well rationalized by ligand-field theory. There is a tendency - psychologically quite natural, no doubt - for those interested in synthetic and mainstream chemistry not to look too closely at theory and physical properties, and, of course, vice versa. However, there has always been the need, surely, to build a logical synthesis of, or bridge between, these two aspects of the same subject. We hope that our presentation in this book goes some way towards providing that overview. 

Gerloch, Ligand Field Parameters, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1973. 

J0rgensen, Absorption Spectra and Chemical Bonding in Complexes, Perga-mon Press, Oxford, 1962. 

J0rgensen, Modern Aspects of Ligand-Field Theory, North Holland, 1970. 

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