Question

A certain transition metal complex has the formula MX42 . If the metal ion has a d8 electron configuration, what is the shape of the complex

Answer 1

Tetrahedral or square planar

Step-by-step explanation:

For a d8 metal ion with a coordination number of four, there are two structural possibilities based on the position of the ligand in the spectrochemical series.

Strong field ligands lead to a square planar complex while weak field ligands lead to a tetrahedral complex. Hence the answer above.