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Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes

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Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...

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Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2025

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

Published on: August 2, 2012

Dynamic supramolecular snub cubes.

Huang Wu^1,2, Yu Wang³, Luka Đorđević^4,5

¹Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuit, Ministry of Education & Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. huangwu@hku.hk.

|January 8, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers created dynamic supramolecular snub cubes mimicking biological structures. These chiral assemblies exhibit photocontrollable mechanical properties and selective guest encapsulation, advancing artificial molecular systems.

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Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

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Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates

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Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Published on: April 22, 2016

Area of Science:

Supramolecular Chemistry
Materials Science
Biomimetic Chemistry

Background:

Biological encapsulants like viral capsids and ferritin inspire artificial systems due to their chiral assemblies and functions.
Creating artificial polyhedra with properties similar to biological encapsulants, such as mechanical attributes and guest-binding capabilities, is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

To report the stereospecific assembly of dynamic supramolecular snub cubes.
To investigate their chiral properties, mechanical characteristics, and guest encapsulation abilities.

Main Methods:

Stereospecific assembly of snub cubes using 12 helical macrocycles linked by C-H hydrogen bonds.
Hierarchical chirality transfer protocol facilitated by diastereoselective crystallization.
Characterization of enantiomerically pure snub cubes (5.1 nm diameter, 2712 atoms).

Main Results:

Successful synthesis of enantiomerically pure left- and right-handed snub cubes.
Demonstration of reversible photochromic behavior and photocontrollable elasticity/hardness in crystalline states.
Observation of simultaneous accommodation of multiple small guest molecules and separate encapsulation of two distinct guests within compartmentalized frameworks.

Conclusions:

The research expands artificial supramolecular assemblies to mimic chiral superstructures and dynamic features of biomacromolecules.
A protocol for constructing crystalline materials with photocontrollable mechanical properties has been established.
These snub cubes offer insights into chiral assembly and functional roles, paving the way for advanced materials.