How Does Ligand Field Theory Explain Metal Ligand Coordination?
Ligand Field Theory (LFT) extends upon Crystal Field Theory (CFT) by considering the effects of ligands on the d-orbitals of the metal center. LFT helps explain the splitting of d-orbitals in different coordination environments and how this splitting affects the electronic structure and reactivity of the metal center. For example, in an octahedral field, the d-orbitals split into two sets, which can be occupied differently depending on the nature of the ligands and the metal.
