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/

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/

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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