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NEET CHEMISTRYMedium

Which one of the following ions is the most stable in aqueous solution? (At no. Ti=22, V=23, Cr=24, Mn=25)

A

Cr³⁺

B

V³⁺

C

Ti³⁺

D

Mn³⁺

Step-by-Step Solution

The stability of transition metal ions in aqueous solution is influenced by their electronic configuration and the Crystal Field Stabilization Energy (CFSE). In an aqueous medium, water molecules act as ligands, creating an octahedral field that splits the dd-orbitals into lower energy t2gt_{2g} and higher energy ege_g sets.

  1. Analyze Electronic Configurations:
  • Cr³⁺ (Z=24): [Ar]3d3[Ar] 3d^3. In an octahedral field, the 3 electrons occupy the t2gt_{2g} orbitals singly (t2g3t_{2g}^3). This corresponds to a half-filled t2gt_{2g} level, which provides significant stability due to high CFSE.
  • V³⁺ (Z=23): [Ar]3d2[Ar] 3d^2 (t2g2t_{2g}^2).
  • Ti³⁺ (Z=22): [Ar]3d1[Ar] 3d^1 (t2g1t_{2g}^1).
  • Mn³⁺ (Z=25): [Ar]3d4[Ar] 3d^4 (t2g3eg1t_{2g}^3 e_g^1). Mn³⁺ is less stable and acts as a strong oxidising agent because it readily accepts an electron to achieve the stable half-filled d5d^5 configuration (Mn2+Mn^{2+}).

Therefore, Cr³⁺ is the most stable ion among the options due to its stable t2g3t_{2g}^3 configuration.

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