The metal's d-orbitals that are directly facing the ligands in are:

Question

The metal's d-orbitals that are directly facing the ligands in  are:

Canvas Classes · Accepted Answer

Strategy:
 Recall the shape of the d-orbitals and their orientation relative to the approaching ligands in an octahedral field.

Step 1: Understand octahedral geometry
In an octahedral coordination compound like , the six ligands approach the central metal ion along the Cartesian axes (x, y, and z axes).

Step 2: Relate d-orbitals to the axes
- The  set of orbitals (, , ) have their lobes pointing between the axes.
- The  set of orbitals ( and ) have their lobes pointing directly along the axes.

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