Complete removal of both the axial ligands (along the z - a x i s ) from an octahedral complex leads to which of the following splitting patterns? (relative orbital energies not on scale).

Step-by-step solution

When crystal field splitting energy is small, the pairing energy exceeds the splitting energy, and the electrons will fill the d orbitals as if they were degenerate; this is classified as high spin. We find that the square planar complexes have the greatest crystal field splitting energy compared to all the other complexes. This means that most square planar complexes are low spin, strong field ligands.