High Spin Complex
A complex in which electrons occupy the higher d orbitals singly before pairing, maximising unpaired spins.
Formula / equation
Δ < P
Unit
BM
In depth
High spin complexes arise with weak field ligands, with first-row metals in low oxidation states, and in essentially all tetrahedral geometries. Their many unpaired electrons make them strongly paramagnetic and give them larger ionic radii than their low spin counterparts.
Examples in the real world
[Fe(H₂O)₆]²⁺ with four unpaired electrons and a magnetic moment near 5.0 BM.