Crystal field aspects of vibrational spectra: VII. Derivation of a spectrochemical series of ligands from infrared spectra

The infrared spectra (700-200 cm^?1) of 52 complexes of general formula NaML₃] or ML₂B] (where M = a divalent metal ion of the first transition series; L = α-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate or benzoyltrifluoroacetonate anion; B = 2H₂O, 2NH₃, 2pyridine, 2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline) are discussed. Within each series of complexes with common L and B, the IR band near 400 cm^?1 which exhibits maximum sensitivity to the coordinated metal ion (the sensitivity being in the sequence of crystal field stabilization energies) and which generally occurs in a region free from ligand absorption, is assigned to the metal—oxygen stretching frequency (v(M—O)). For each series of complexes with common M and L, the magnitude of v(M—O) decreases progressively with increasing ligand field strength of B. This relationship enables the coordinated bases, B, to be arranged in a spectrochemical series which is practically identical with that obtained from electronic spectra.