In an octahedral complex,electrons in and
Orbitals experience a greater repulsion from the lone pairs of electrons on ligands because these orbitals
A) contain more electrons than the other three d orbitals.
B) each contain one unpaired electron.
C) are oriented directly toward the incoming ligand electron pairs.
D) are located a greater distance from the metal ion nucleus.
E) are roughly spherical in shape,much like an s orbital.

Question

In an octahedral complex,electrons in  and 
Orbitals experience a greater repulsion from the lone pairs of electrons on ligands because these orbitals
A) contain more electrons than the other three d orbitals. 
B) each contain one unpaired electron. 
C) are oriented directly toward the incoming ligand electron pairs. 
D) are located a greater distance from the metal ion nucleus. 
E) are roughly spherical in shape,much like an s orbital.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The lone pair of electrons on a ligand occupies a region of space that is directed towards the metal ion, and this can lead to greater repulsion with the d orbitals that are oriented in the same direction. The two orbitals in question are the dx2-y2 and dz2 orbitals, which are directed along the axes of the octahedron and are oriented towards the incoming ligand electron pairs. The other three d orbitals (dxz, dyz, and dxy) are oriented between these axes and are less affected by the ligand lone pairs. The number of electrons in these orbitals (A) and the presence of unpaired electrons (B) do not affect the repulsion from the lone pairs, and the distance from the metal nucleus (D) and the shape of the orbitals (E) are also not directly relevant.

In an Octahedral Complex,electrons in and