Peer Review

Interactive pi-Bonding Effects

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Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: An interactive applet is presented enabling the student to determine the effect on metal t₂g orbtial energies in the presence of a pi-donor or a pi-acceptor ligand.
Type of Material:: The site presents an applet with three buttons enabling the user to determine whether the ligand is a pi-donor or pi-acceptor or neither.
Recommended Uses:: This material is best used as a supplement for an in-class discussion to demonstrate how a pi-donor/acceptor can change the crystal field splitting of the metal energy levels in a complex, thereby changing the spectroscopic properties of the complex and also the chemical properties of the complex.
Technical Requirements:: Web browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The major objective is to teach the students that the energy spacing of the metal t₂g energy levels in metal ligand complexes is diminished or increased depending on whether the ligand is a pi donor or pi acceptor.
Target Student Population:: Students of inorganic chemistry who are studying the spectroscopic properties of metal-ligand complexes will benefit from using this applet.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Students should have some background knowledge of crystal field effects on energy level splitting for transition metal ions in complexes.

Rating:
Strengths:: The applet is simple, easy to use, and clearly demonstrates the effect on metal energy level of a pi-donor or pi-acceptor energy level.
Concerns:: There is no indication given about how this could effect the spectroscopic properties of the complex.

Rating:
Strengths:: The effect on metal energy levels of pi-donor/acceptor ligands is very easily seen. The applet is clear and easy to use. The tool achieves its objective well.
Concerns:: Two or three sentences of explanation of the various effects along with a selection of example ligands would enormously enhance the value of the site.

Rating:
Strengths:: The site loads very quickly, and the applet is extremely simple to use.
Concerns:: Applet may only work in Internet Explorer.

Other Issues and Comments:: A succinct module which visulaizes the effect of pi Bonding on d-orbital splitting in octahedral complexes. Little interactivity, and no examples, but does provide accurate information.
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