Question
Identify the hybridization in central metal of [ Fe ( CO )_5] complex.
MHT CET
Chemistry
Coordination Compounds
2026
MHT CET 2026 (11 April Shift 1)
MHT CET Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution
Options
- A. dsp^3
- B. sp^3 d^2
- C. d^2 sp^3
- D. sp^3
Answer
A. dsp^3
Step-by-step solution
In [Fe(CO)_5], the central metal atom is Fe and its oxidation state is 0. The ground state electronic configuration of Fe is [Ar] 3d^6 4s^2. CO is a strong field ligand, which causes the pairing of electrons. The two 4s electrons shift to the 3d subshell and pair up, resulting in a 3d^8 configuration. Four 3d orbitals are completely filled and one 3d orbital is left empty. To accommodate the five electron pairs from the five CO ligands, one 3d, one 4s, and three 4p orbitals hybridize. Therefore, the hybridization is dsp^3.
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