INORGANIC
CHEMISTRY
D-BLOCK ELEMENTS
Definition
Characteristics
Electronic Configuration
Examples
Position In periodic table
DEFINITION
D-BLOCK ELEMENTS ARE THOSE IN WHICH
THE LAST ELECTRON ENTERS THE D-
ORBITAL OF THE PENULTIMATE ENERGY
LEVEL, TYPICALLY FOLLOWING THE
GENERAL ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION OF
(N−1)D1−10NS0−2(N-1)D^{1-10}NS^{0-
2}(N−1)D1−10NS0−2.
THIS CONFIGURATION LEADS TO PARTIALLY
FILLED D-ORBITALS, WHICH ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THEIR
DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES.
CHARACTERISTICS
•Variable Oxidation States: Due to the involvement of both (n-
1)d and ns electrons in bonding, d-block elements often exhibit
multiple oxidation states. For example, iron can exist in +2 and
+3 states, while manganese can range from +2 to +7.
•Formation of Colored Compounds: The presence of unpaired
d-electrons allows d-block elements to form colored compounds,
as these electrons can absorb visible light during d-d transitions.
•Magnetic Properties: Unpaired electrons in d-orbitals
contribute to Paramagnetism. Elements with more unpaired
electrons exhibit stronger magnetic properties.
•Catalytic Activity: Many transition metals and their
compounds serve as catalysts in industrial processes due to their
ability to lend and take electrons during reactions.
•High Melting and Boiling Points: Strong metallic bonding,
resulting from delocalized d-electrons, leads to high melting and
boiling points in these elements.
•Formation of Complexes: D-block elements readily form
coordination compounds with ligands, owing to their vacant d-
orbitals that can accept electron pairs.
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION
D block Elements have a general electronic configuration of (n-1)d 1-10ns 1-2.
These elements can find stability in half-filled orbitals and completely filled d
orbitals. An example of this will be the electronic configuration of chromium,
which has half-filled d and s orbitals in its configuration – 3d54s1. The electronic
configuration of copper is another example. Copper displays an electronic
configuration of 3d104s1 and not 3d94s2.
This can be attributed to the relative stability of the completely filled d orbital.
Zinc, Mercury, Cadmium, and Copernicium exhibit completely filled orbitals in
their ground states as well as in their general oxidation states. For this reason,
these metals are not considered as transition elements, whereas the others are d
block elements.
•The electronic configuration for period 4, transition elements is (Ar) 4s 1-2 3d 1-10
•The electronic configuration for period 5, transition elements is (Kr) 5s 1-2 4d 1-10
•The electronic configuration for period 6, transition elements is (Xe) 4s 1-2 3d 1-10
Along the period, from left to right, electrons are added to the 3d subshell as per
the Aufbau principle and Hund’s rule of multiplicity.
Anomalies do occur in all the series, which can be explained by the following
considerations.
•The energy gap between the ns and (n-1) d orbitals
•Pairing energy for the electrons in s-orbital
•Stability of half-filled orbitals to the partly-filled orbitals.
Chromium has a 4s13d5 electron configuration rather than the 4s23d4 configuration, and
copper has 4s13d10 rather than 4s23d9. These anomalies in the first transition series can be
understood from the stability of half-filled orbitals compared to the partly-filled orbitals.
In the second series, transition metals from niobium, electron presence in d orbitals
appear to be preferred than being shared in s orbitals. Between the available s and d
orbitals, the electron can either go for sharing in the s-orbital or excited to the d-orbital.
Obviously, the choice depends on the repulsive energy it has overcome on sharing and the
energy gap between the s and d-orbitals.
In the second series, s and d-orbital have almost the same energy, because of which
electrons prefer to occupy the d-orbital. So, from niobium, the s-orbital has mostly only
one electron. Third-series transition metals, on the other hand, have more paired s
configurations even at the expense of half-filled orbitals (Tungsten- 6s25d4). This series
comes after the filling up of 4f orbitals and resulting lanthanide contraction.
The reduced size results in the high shielding of d orbitals by the ‘f’ electron. This
shielding increases the energy gap between the s and 5d orbitals such that pairing energy
is less than the excitation. Excitation of the electron does not take place in tungsten, in
spite of the stability possible because of half-filled orbitals.
WHY ARE D BLOCK
ELEMENTS CALLED
TRANSITIONS ELEMENTS?
Transition elements occupy groups 4-11. Scandium and yttrium of
group 3, having a partially filled d subshell in the metallic state,
also are considered as transition elements. Elements like Zn, Cd
and Hg of the 12 columns of the d block have completely filled the
d-orbital and hence are not considered as transition elements.
Transition elements are so-called, indicating their positioning and
transition of properties between s and p block elements. So, all the
transition metals are d block elements, but all the d block elements
are not transition elements.
Properties of Transition Metals
•Electrons are added to the ‘d’ sub-orbitals that lie between their
(n+1) s and (n+1) p sub-orbitals.
•Placed between s and p block elements in the periodic table.
•Properties between s and p-block elements.
EXAMPLES OF D BLOCK ELEMENTS
Series Period Elements (Symbols) Series
Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni,
3d 4 3d
Cu, Zn
Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd,
4d 5 4d
Ag, Cd
La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt,
5d 6 5d
Au, Hg
Rf, Db, Sg, Bh, Hs, Mt, Ds, Rg,
6d 7 6d
Cn
Examples of d-block elements:
•3d series:
Scandium (Sc), Titanium (Ti), Vanadium (V), Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn),
Iron (Fe), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn)
•4d series:
Yttrium (Y), Zirconium (Zr), Niobium (Nb), Molybdenum (Mo), Technetium (Tc),
Ruthenium (Ru), Rhodium (Rh), Palladium (Pd), Silver (Ag), Cadmium (Cd)
•5d series:
Lanthanum (La), Hafnium (Hf), Tantalum (Ta), Tungsten (W), Rhenium (Re),
Osmium (Os), Iridium (Ir), Platinum (Pt), Gold (Au), Mercury (Hg)
IMPORTANT COMPOUNDS OF D
BLOCK ELEMENTS
The d block elements form some compounds of vital industrial importance. Some such
compounds include:
K2Cr2O7 (Potassium Dichromate)
This compound is considered very important in the leather industry. It is also used as an
oxidant in most azo compound preparation processes.
The structure of the dichromate ion is made up of two tetrahedra that share a single corner
with a chromium-oxygen-chromium bond angle of 1260. Potassium dichromate is a strong
oxidizing agent. Potassium dichromate is also used as a primary standard in the process
of volumetric analysis.
KMnO4 (Potassium Permanganate)
The physical appearance of KMnO4 has an intense purple colour. It exhibits diamagnetic
properties and also weak paramagnetic properties, which are reliant on the [Link]
permanganate ion exhibits diamagnetism due to the absence of unpaired electrons in it.
Potassium permanganate is also used as an oxidant in the preparation of various products in
organic chemistry. It also finds use in the bleaching of cotton, silk, and wool. It can also be
used for the decolourization of oils owing to its strong oxidizing ability.
POSITION IN PERIODIC TABLE
D-block elements are situated in the center of the periodic
table, spanning groups 3 to 12. They bridge the s-block
elements on the left and the p-block elements on the right,
reflecting their transitional properties.
THANK
YOU
By Ayesha Yousaf