Ligand Field Theory
The refined bonding model that combines crystal field theory with molecular orbital treatment of metal–ligand covalency.
Unit
cm⁻¹
In depth
By allowing genuine orbital overlap and pi interactions, ligand field theory explains the spectrochemical series, the nephelauxetic effect and the exceptional strength of carbonyl and cyanide ligands — none of which a purely electrostatic model can accommodate.
Examples in the real world
Explaining why CO, a neutral molecule, produces a larger splitting than the negatively charged fluoride ion.