The complex ion Fe(CN)63- is paramagnetic with one unpaired electron. The complex ion Fe(SCN)63- has five unpaired electrons. Where does SCN- lie in the spectrochemical series with respect to CN-?

SCN⁻ lies in the lower (weak field) region of the spectrochemical series while CN⁻ lies in the higher (stronger field) region.

CN⁻ is a strong field ligand with a large splitting constant, and it is high up in the spectrochemical series.

Conversely, SCN⁻ is a weak field ligand with a low splitting constant, and it is lower in the spectrochemical series.

Hence, SCN⁻ lies in the lower (weak field) region of the spectrochemical series while CN⁻ lies in the higher (stronger field) region.

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SCN- is a weak field ligand while CN- is a strong field ligand

Explanation:

The spectrochemical series is an arrangement of ligands according to their magnitude of crystal field splitting. Ligands that cause only a small degree of crystal field splitting are called weak field ligands while ligands that cause large crystal field splitting are called strong field ligands.

Strong field ligands often lead to the formation of low spin complexes with the least number of unpaired electrons while high spin complexes are formed by weak field ligands.

CN- is a strong field ligand as it lies towards the right hand side of the spectrochemical series.

SCN- is a weak field ligand hence it forms a high spin complex having the maximum number of unpaired electrons for Fe^3+, hence the answer.