Orientation of d-orbitals

An important aspect of simple Crystal Field Theory is the orientation of the d-orbital lobes with respect to the position of the surrounding ligands.
Note that the lobes point towards either the centres of the faces (where the ligands would sit for an octahedral complex) or the edges (where the ligands sit in tetrahedral complexes).

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dz2-Orbital             dx2-y2-Orbital
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dxy-Orbital
To get a clearer view of the orientation of these wireframe representations of the orbitals, try rotating them by dragging with the mouse.

If we consider that these representations are of electron density, then try to minimise the interactions between the incoming negatively charged ligands such as F- with the electrons located in the d orbitals of the central metal ion. Which orbitals should be the most stable for an octahedral complex? Are these the same orbitals for the tetrahedral complex?

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Created and maintained by Prof. Robert J. Lancashire,
The Department of Chemistry, University of the West Indies,
Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica.

Created 1996. Last modified 2nd February 2004.
URL http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/courses/CFTpt2.html