Octahedral Complex:

Octahedral molecules have six atoms bonded to the central atom and no lone electron pairs,
making the steric number equal to six. The formation of the surrounding atoms
gives octahedral molecules their overall shape of eight connected triangles. All of the bond
angles formed within an octahedral molecule are 90 degrees.

Figure 1: Metal Aquo Complex

Applications:

Geometry:

Octahedral molecular geometry describes the shape of compounds wherein six atoms or groups
of atoms or ligands are symmetrically arranged around a central atom. The octahedron has
eight faces, hence the prefix octa-. An example of an octahedral compound is molybdenum
hexacarbonyl (Mo(CO)6.

Coordination number: 6
Examples: SF6, Mo(CO)6
Bond angle: 90o
Point group: Oh
Μ (Polarity): 0
 Figure 2: Octahedral complex

Approaching Ligand:

In an octahedral complex, there are six ligands attached to the central transition metal. The d-
orbital splits into two different levels. The bottom three energy levels are named dxy, dxz, and
dyz (collectively referred to as t2g). and top three energy levels are named dz2 and dx2-y2 (
collectively referred to as eg).

Figure 3: Ligand splitting into t2g and eg

Magnetic Property:

A high spin octahedral molecule, one just has to fill in all the orbitals and check for unpaired
electrons. If no unpaired electrons exist, then the molecule is diamagnetic but if unpaired
molecules do exist, the molecule is paramagnetic.

Number of Bonds:

Octahedral complexes have a coordination number of six, and the six donor atoms are arranged
at the corners of an octahedron around the central metal ion. and there is a six number of bonds
in octahedral complex.

Color:

The solutions of most octahedral Cu (II) complexes are blue. The visible spectrum for an
aqueous solution of Cu (II), [Cu(H2O6]2+, shows that the absorption band spans the red-orange-
yellow portion of the spectrum and green, blue and violet are transmitted.

Stability:

For an octahedral complex, an electron in the more stable t2g subset is treated as
contributing −2/5Δo whereas an electron in the higher energy eg subset contributes to a
destabilization of +3/5Δo. The crystal field stabilization energy is usually greater for octahedral
than tetrahedral complexes.

Tetrahedral Complex:

A tetrahedron, also known as a triangular pyramid, is a polyhedron composed of four triangular

faces, six straight edges, and four vertex corners.

Figure 4: Nickel Carbon-oxygen complex

Geometry:

In tetrahedral molecular geometry, a central atom is located at the center of four substituent
atoms, which form the corners of a tetrahedron and four ligands attached to the central atom.
The bond angles are approximately 109.5.

Bond angle(s): ≈109.5°

Examples: CH4, MnO−; 4
Coordination number: 4
Point group: Td
Μ (Polarity): 0

Figure 5: Tetrahedral complex

Approaching ligand:

In an tetrahedral complex, there are four ligands attached to the central transition metal. The d-
orbital splits into two different levels. The top three energy levels are named dxy, dxz, and dyz
(collectively referred to as t2g). and bottom three energy levels are named dz2 and dx2-y2 (
collectively referred to as eg).
 Figure 6: ligand splitting into t2g and eg

Magnetic Property:

Tetrahedral complexes have weaker splitting because none of the ligands lie within the plane
of the orbitals. The crystal field stabilization energy is usually less for tetrahedral than
octahedral complexes.

Number of ligands:

Tetrahedral complexes have a coordination number of four, and the four donor atoms are
arranged at the corners of a tetrahedron around the central metal ion. and there is a four number
of bonds in octahedral complex.

Color:

In tetrahedral complex the ligands are arranged differently in space relative to the shapes of the
d orbitals. Scandium (III) complexes are colorless because no visible light is absorbed.

Stability:

The stability of tetrahedral intermediate depends on the ability of the groups attached to the
new tetrahedral carbon atom to leave with the negative charge.