Study guides
Inorganic Chemistry
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A spoken answer, marked
An examiner's question, answered out loud and marked criterion by criterion. From Inorganic Chemistry Viva Questions: A Practical Guide.
Examiner
For [Fe(CN)6]4−, assign the iron oxidation state and d-electron count, then predict the spin state and magnetic behaviour.
Correctly used the six cyanide charges and overall charge to assign Fe(II).
ImproveSay explicitly that Fe(II) is d6 before describing the orbital filling.
Identified cyanide as strong field and gave the low-spin arrangement, but did not clearly name both orbital sets at first.
ImproveState t2g6 eg0 and connect it to the octahedral field.
Predicted diamagnetism but initially gave no direct link to the number of unpaired electrons.
ImproveFinish with: all six electrons are paired, so the complex is diamagnetic.
A strong answerEach cyanide ligand has a charge of −1, so six ligands contribute −6. The overall charge is −4, which means iron is in the +2 oxidation state. Fe(II) is d6, and in an octahedral strong field from cyanide the low-spin arrangement is t2g6 eg0. There are no unpaired d electrons, so the complex is predicted to be diamagnetic.
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Guides
- How to Study Inorganic Chemistry: A Practical GuideA practical method for organising inorganic chemistry, learning structures and reactions, and testing recall with worked examples.
- Inorganic Chemistry Study Plan: A Six-Week MethodA practical six-week inorganic chemistry study plan with timed sessions for core concepts, retrieval practice and targeted review.
- Inorganic Chemistry Viva Questions: A Practical GuidePractise inorganic chemistry viva questions with a clear answer method and worked examples in coordination chemistry and organometallics.
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