Evaluation of ligand field stablization in spinels using mössbauer determined cation distributions

The Mössbauer determined cation distributions of FeV₂O₄, FeCr₂O₄, FeMn₂O₄, Fe₃O₄, FeCo₂O₄, CoV₂O₄, CoCr₂O₄, CoMn₂O₄, CoFe₂O₄ and Co₃O₄ are compared with the quantitative d-orbital stablization energies of McClure and of Dunitz and Orgel. They are also compared with the qualitative ligand field stabilization energies of Cotton. These theories do not account for observation in the cases of FeMn₂O₄, FeCo₂O₄ and CoFe₂O₄.