Why "Zn" creates complicated compound, Wheather it is not a transition element?

1 Answer
Truong-Son N.
Mar 28, 2018

As long as it has d or f orbitals, a metal can make complexes with ligands like "Cl"^(-), "NH"_3, etc. It would be a d^10 complex if it comes in as "Zn"^(2+), but it doesn't mean it can't bond.

The molecular orbitals formed in crystal field theory don't tell the whole story. Ligand field theory includes the interactions that form the s-based and p-based molecular orbitals lower in energy.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/https://upload.wikimedia.org/

Such an MO diagram would belong to a "Zn" complex with many pi acceptors and sigma donors (e.g. "CO", "CN"^(-), etc).

https://ars.els-cdn.com/https://ars.els-cdn.com/

So, there is no issue with whether a ligand can donate electrons or not to bond with "Zn", even though it had filled 3d orbitals.

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