Structural Distortion Flashcards
1
Q
Jahn-Teller distortion
A
Any non-linear molecule that has orbital degeneracy undergoes distortion to remove the degeneracy
2
Q
Large distortion
A
Where degeneracy involves eg orbitals that point directly along x, y and z axes
3
Q
Small distortion
A
involves t2g orbitals that lie between the axes
4
Q
No distortion
A
When there’s a symmetrical d electron distribution
5
Q
When does distortion occur
A
When last electron added has a choice of d-orbitals
6
Q
Why does Jahn-Teller distortion occur
A
When there are 2 electrons in one degenerate orbital and only one in the other there’s asymmetric shielding of the ligands from the nucleus giving different bond lengths
