Transition Metal Ion Formation

Transition Metal Ion Formation

1. The transition metals are an interesting and challenging group of elements. They have perplexing patterns of electron distribution that don’t always follow the electron filling rules.

2. Transition metals belong to the d block, meaning that the d sublevel of electrons is in the process of being filled with up to ten electrons.

3. The resulting configuration above, with 18 electrons in the outermost principal energy level, is referred to as a pseudo noble-gas electron configuration. It gives particular stability to the Zn2+ and Cu+ ions.

4. Sc→Sc3++3e−[Ar]3d14s2[Ar]

5. Zn→Zn2++2e−[Ar]3d104s2[Ar]3d10Cu→Cu++e−[Ar]3d104s1[Ar]3d10