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crystal-field splitting energy
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Diagram showing crystal field splitting in an octahedral complex, with d orbitals dividing into lower-energy t2g and higher-energy eg levels, separated by the crystal field splitting energy, delta. Two examples illustrate electron arrangements in these split levels.
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crystal-field splitting energy

Also known as: CFSE
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Diagram showing crystal field splitting in an octahedral complex, with d orbitals dividing into lower-energy t2g and higher-energy eg levels, separated by the crystal field splitting energy, delta. Two examples illustrate electron arrangements in these split levels.
crystal field splitting Figure 18: Crystal field splitting. In an octahedral complex, the d orbitals of the central metal ion divide into two sets of different energies. The separation in energy is the crystal field splitting energy, Δ. (A) When Δ is large, it is energetically more favourable for electrons to occupy the lower set of orbitals. (B) When Δ is small, it is energetically more favourable for the electrons to occupy both sets with as many parallel electron spins as possible.

Crystal field splitting energy (CFSE) is a concept within crystal field theory that explains the properties of transition metal complexes. In this theory, ligands surrounding a central metal ion are treated as point charges. These charges affect the energies of the metal ion's d orbitals.

Normally, a metal ion's five d orbitals have the same energy. However, in an octahedral arrangement of ligands, these orbitals split into two groups: three lower-energy orbitals (t2g) and two higher-energy orbitals (eg). The energy difference between these two groups is the CFSE. This splitting is crucial for understanding the spectroscopic, thermodynamic, and magnetic properties of metal complexes. The relative strength of the CFSE compared to the energy required to pair electrons in an orbital influences electron configurations and, consequently, magnetic properties.12

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5 Britannica Sources
  1. chemical bonding - Crystal field theory
  2. transition metal - Orbital splitting patterns
  3. ligand field theory
  4. coordination compound - Crystal field theory
  5. spectroscopy - Perturbations of levels

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