Inorganic · Valence Bond Theory
Valence Bond Theory (VBT) of Complexes
Exam-focused revision notes on Valence Bond Theory (VBT) of Complexes for CSIR-NET Chemical Sciences, GATE Chemistry and IIT-JAM — the core concepts, the formulas worth memorising, the traps that cost marks, and a quick-recall table.
The core idea
In VBT the metal ion provides empty hybrid orbitals of appropriate geometry, and each ligand donates a lone pair into one of them. The hybrid set fixes the geometry; the remaining unpaired d electrons fix the magnetic moment.
What this note covers
- 1The core idea
- 2Octahedral: inner- vs outer-orbital
- 3Other geometries
- 4Predicting unpaired electrons & μ
- 5Worked logic — two Fe(III) complexes (d5)
- 6Limitations of VBT
- 7Common traps students miss
- 830-second recall table
Read the full note
The remaining 7 sections — including the worked examples, the common-traps list and the quick-recall table — are part of ChemVidya Full Access, along with 6,000+ practice questions.
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