What does a Jahn-Teller distortion of [Ti(H2O)6]³+ act to do?

In coordination chemistry, Jahn-Teller distortion refers to a geometric distortion of non-linear molecular systems that occurs due to the presence of degenerate electronic states. For the complex [Ti(H2O)6]³+, which has a d¹ configuration, the low-spin d-orbitals can be degenerate. This degeneracy can lead to instability in the complex.

The Jahn-Teller effect specifically acts to remove this electronic degeneracy by leading to an asymmetric distortion of the coordination geometry. As a result, the distortion shifts the energy levels of the d-orbitals within the complex, resulting in stabilization of lower energy configurations and breaking the degeneracy of these states. Consequently, the complex becomes more stable overall by lowering the energy of the electrons in the now non-degenerate state.

This phenomenon explains why the removal of electronic degeneracy is crucial; it directly correlates with the stabilization of the electronic arrangement of the transition metal complex, favoring a lower energy state and thus contributing to the overall stability of the complex.