Colour and paramagnetism in transition metal compounds generally arise due to the presence of unpaired d-electrons.
- In CuF2, the oxidation state of Cu is +2. Its electronic configuration is [Ar]3d9, which has one unpaired electron. Thus, it is paramagnetic and coloured due to d-d transitions.
- In K2Cr2O7, the oxidation state of Cr is +6. Its electronic configuration is [Ar]3d0, which has zero unpaired electrons. Thus, it is diamagnetic (though it is coloured due to ligand-to-metal charge transfer).
- In KMnO4, the oxidation state of Mn is +7. Its electronic configuration is [Ar]3d0, which has zero unpaired electrons. Thus, it is diamagnetic (also coloured due to charge transfer).
- In K4[Fe(CN)6], the oxidation state of Fe is +2 (3d6). Since CN− is a strong field ligand, all six d-electrons pair up in the lower energy t2g level, leaving zero unpaired electrons. Thus, it is diamagnetic.