Editing Ferric (section)

==Bonding==
[[File:L.s. vs h.s. d5 octahedral.svg|thumb|left|d-orbital splitting scheme for low- and high spin octahedral Fe(III) complex]]
Iron(III) is a d<sup>5</sup> center, meaning that the metal has five "valence" electrons in the 3d orbital shell. The number and type of ligands bound to iron(III) determine how these electrons arrange themselves.  With so-called "strong field ligands" such as [[cyanide]], the five electrons pair up as best they can.  Thus [[ferricyanide]] ({{chem2|[Fe(CN)6](3-)}} has only one unpaired electron.  It is low-spin. With so-called "weak field ligands" such as [[water]], the five electrons are unpaired.  Thus [[aquo complex]] ({{chem2|[Fe(H2O)6](3+)}} has only five unpaired electrons.  It is high-spin.  With chloride, iron(III) forms tetrahedral complexes, e.g.  ({{chem2|[Fe(Cl)4]-}}.  Tetrahedral complexes are high spin. The magnetism of ferric complexes can show when they are high or low spin.