Crystal Field Stabilization Energy (CFSE) depends on the magnitude of the crystal field splitting energy (Δo). The value of Δo is directly determined by the field strength of the ligands coordinating to the central metal ion.
- Oxidation State: In all the given complexes, Cobalt is in the +3 oxidation state (3d6 configuration).
- Spectrochemical Series: According to the spectrochemical series found in the NCERT text, the order of increasing field strength of the ligands involved is:
H2O<C2O42−<NH3<CN−
- Conclusion: The cyanide ion (CN−) is the strongest field ligand among the options. It causes the largest splitting of the d-orbitals (maximum Δo). Since CFSE is directly proportional to Δo (specifically for a low-spin d6 complex, CFSE = −2.4Δo), the complex with the strongest ligand will exhibit the maximum crystal field stabilization energy .