Explain: the compounds of copper (II) are colored but those of zinc are colorless?

1 Answer
Aug 13, 2017

You have a #d^9# electronic configuration in the case of #Cu(+II)#..

Explanation:

...and you gots a #d^10# electronic configuration in the case of #Zn(+II)#.. #Cu(+II)# has a #d^9# electronic configuration, and the colours exhibited by transition metal complexes are in part due to #d-d# transitions (i.e. the energy difference in orbital configuration corresponds to the visible region). These electronic transitions are not available to the #Zn(+II)# complex, whose #"d-orbitals"# are completely filled.