[hkalfighter]

transition metals form complexes with ligands with lone pair e- and those ligands form dative covalent bonds with the metals by overlapping of empty orbitals on transition metals and orbitals on ligands with lone pair e-. 3d orbital is partially filled and we can find 6 empty orbitals for ligands in 3d . which empty orbital is responsible for that , 4s and 4p ?? if i stated wrongly , plz correct me , thx

[Donaldson Tan]

the ligands will seek to overlap with the HOMO, so it means 3d

however, i think the 3d, 4s and 4p orbitals might be hybridised

[Mitch]

Its the 3d orbitals, but determining which ones are involved requires knowing the geometry of the complex.