Tetrahedral complexes are normally high spin.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tetrahedral complexes have a geometry that allows for maximal separation of electrons, leading to a weaker crystal field splitting. This results in small energy differences between the d-orbitals, making it more favorable for unpaired electrons to occupy all four orbitals (high spin configuration) rather than pairing up in the lower energy set of orbitals (low spin configuration). Therefore, tetrahedral complexes are typically high spin.

Tetrahedral Complexes Are Normally High Spin