Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

Determination of ∆O of Chromium using Tanabe-Sugano Diagram

Mr. *****

Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Mapua Institute of Technology

March 9, 2006

The experiment performed was simple. A chromium metal was used in the analysis, it has a d 3
configuration. The ∆O was determined using the Tanabe-Sugano diagram. A wavelength reading of 621.59
and 434.14 was obtained and ∆O was computed to be 266.4 cm-1.

Introduction
Interpretation of Results
Tanabe-Sugano diagrams are special
correlation diagrams that are particularly useful The compound for chromium ion has a
in the interpretation of electronic spectra of wavelength reading of 621.59 and 434.14. From
coordination compounds. In Tanabe-Sugano the Tanabe-Sugano diagram there are three
diagrams, the lowest-energy state is plotted possible spin-allowed transitions. 4A2, 4T2, and
along the horizontal axis, consequently, the 4
T1.
vertical distance above this axis is a measure of The ratio of energies of the wavelength
the energy of the excited state above the ground bands is:
state.
Absorption spectra of coordination 621.59 / 434.14 = 1.432
compounds can be used to determine the
magnitude of the ligand splitting, which is ∆O for The ratio of energy of the higher energy
octahedral complexes. It should be made clear transition (v2 or v3) to the lowest-energy
from the outset that the accuracy with which ∆O transition (v1) must therefore by approximately
can be determined is to some extent limited by 1.43 From the Tanabe-Sugano diagram, we can
the mathematical tools used to solve the see that the ratio of v2 to v1 is approxiumately
problem. Absorption spectra often have 1.30, regardless of the strength of the ligand
overlapping bands: to determine the positions of field; we can therefore eliminate v2 as the
the bands accurately, therefore, requires an possible transition occurring at 621.59 nm. This
appropriate mathematical technique for reducing means that 621.59 wavelength band must be v3.
overlapping bands into their individual
components. 1.43 = v3/v1
Methodology The ratio v3/v1 varies as a function of
the strength of the ligand field. By plotting the
The preparation for this experiment was ratio versus ∆O/B, we find that v3/v1 = 1.43 at
relatively simple. 0.6114 of the chromium approximately ∆O/B = 15
compound which was green in color was
weighed in a 250 mL volumetric flask. It was ∆O/B v1 v3 v3/v1
then diluted with distilled water, and shaked
0 0 15 -
thoroughly. A portion was poured in a cuvet and
analyzed using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The 10 8 25 3.125
wavelength of the sample was determined. 20 17 41 2.411765
30 26 58.5 2.25
40 35 80 2.285714
 3.5
3
2.5
2
v3/v1

1.5
1
0.5
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
O/B

At ∆O/B = 15:
v3: E/B = 35
B = E/35 = 621.59/35 = 17.76

Therefore,
∆O = 15 x 17.76 = 266.4 cm-1

Conclusion

One of the most useful characteristics of

Tanabe-Sugano diagrams is that the ground
electronic state is always plotted along the
horizontal axis: this makes it easy to determine
values of E/B above the ground state.
The case with which ∆O can be
determined depends on the d-electron
configuration of the chromium metal.
∆O can be obtained simply by using the
positions of the absorption maxima taken
directly from the spectra.

References

www.accd.edu/nvc/areas/chem/ComDALab/Synt
handAnalofCoordinate.pdf

cod.edu/people/.../CHEM153/Syntheisisd3Coord
inationCompExp30.pdf