An Ab initio study of the ligand field and charge-transfer transitions of Cr(CN)(6)(3-) and Mo(CN)(6)(3-).

High-level ab initio calculations on the excited states of Cr(CN)63- and Mo(CN)63- are reported. For the latter complex, a rather large 10 Dq value of 42 000 cm-1 is obtained, reflecting the increased covalency. The lowest lying charge-transfer transitions for both complexes are predicted to be of the type ligand-to-metal, an assignment in agreement with the photochemical behavior of Cr(CN)63-. A good correspondence between the well-known experimental spectrum of the chromium complex and the theoretical CASPT2 excitation energies is found.