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Crossover of high and low spin states in transition metal complexes

The stability of high vs. low spin states of transition metal complexes has been interpreted by ligand field theory, which is a perturbation theory of the electron-electron interaction. The present first principles calculation of a series of five cobalt complexes shows that the electron-electron interaction energy difference between the two states (i) exhibits the opposite trend to the total energy difference as the ligand nuclear charge varies, and (ii) is three or four orders of magnitude greater than the total energy difference. A new interpretation of the crossover of high and low spin states is given in terms of the chemical bonding.