Rhenium Electron Configuration:7 Easy Steps on How to Write!

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Rhenium falls within the transition metal category. Let us study the electron configuration of rhenium below.

Rhenium has the electron configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 4f14 6s2 5d5. Elements like Rhenium chlorides, and ReCl6, have chemical behaviour that is explained by their electronic configuration. The melting and boiling temperatures are 3186°C and 5630°C, respectively.  

Let us talk about Rhenium’s interesting facts like the electron configuration diagram, distribution of electrons and electron configuration in this article.

How to write Rhenium electron configuration?

Rhenium has an atomic number of 75. The electrons are organised in the Rhenium atom through the following list:

  • Step 1: First of all count the electron shell
  • There are six electron shells in the Rhenium altogether. There are 2, 8, 18, 32, 13, and 2 electrons in each of these six shells.
  • Step 2: Symbolize the orbit
  • The orbitals with the symbols s, p, d, and f can accommodate electron arrangements. These are denoted by the numerals 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 3d, 4s, 4p, 4d, 5s and so on.
  • After symbolizing the orbital determine how the orbitals are ordered by energy according to the Aufbau principle.
  • Re energy order : 1s < 2s < 2p < 3s < 3p < 4s < 3d < 4p < 5s < 4d < 5p < 6s < 4f < 5d < 6p. 
  • Step 3: The orbitals are filled with electrons, According to Pauli’s exclusion principle.
  • Only two electrons with different spins can coexist in each orbital.
  • Step 4: Electrons are then arranged in orbitals according to the overall electron configuration that should be expressed in superscripts when using the orbital ordering notation.
  • According to Hund’s rule, all orbitals of the sub-shell or energy level must be occupied before electron pairing.
  • The electron configuration that results is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 4f14 6s2 5d5.

Rhenium electron configuration diagram

The electron configuration diagram and subshell orbitals of Re are shown below:

Sub-shellNumber of
Orbitals
s1
p3
d5
f7
        Table of Orbitals
rhenium electron configuration
Energy orbital diagram

Rhenium electron configuration notation

Re electron configuration notation is: [Xe] 4f14 5d5 6s2. The six subshells of the Re atom are each filled with 75 electrons, as shown by the above notation.

Rhenium unabbreviated electron configuration

Unabbreviated electronic configurations for the Re atom are 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 4f14 6s2 5d5.

Ground state Rhenium electron configuration

Re electron configuration in its ground state is

1s2 2s2 2px2 2py2 2pz2 3s2 3px2 3py2 3pz2 4s2 3dxy2 3dyz2 3dxz2 3d2x2-y2 3dz22 4px2 4py2 4pz2 5s2 4dxy2 4dyz2 4dxz2 4d2x2-y2 4dz22 5px2 5py2 5pz2 6s2 4f2xz2 4f2yz2 4f2xyz 4f2z(x2-y2) 4f2z3 4f2y(3×2-y2) 4f2x(x2–3y2) 5dxy1 5dyz1 5dxz1 5d1x2-y2 5dy21 or [Xe]4f14 5d5 6s2. 

Excited state of Rhenium electron configuration

The electron configuration of Re in its excited state is one combination of 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6  6s2 4f14 5dxy2 5dyz1 5dxz1 5d1x2-y2 5dy21 or [Xe]4f14 5d4 6s2. During atom excitement, electrons jump from one orbital to another (lower to higher energy state). Other Possible configurations are as follows:

  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6  6s2 4f14 5dxy1 5dyz2 5dxz1 5d1x2-y2 5dy21 or [Xe]4f14 5d6 6s2.
  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6  6s2 4f14 5dxy1 5dyz1 5dxz2 5d1x2-y2 5dy21 or [Xe]4f14 5d6  6s2.
  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6  6s2 4f14 5dxy1 5dyz1 5dxz1 5d2x2-y2 5dy21 or [Xe]4f14 5d6  6s2.
  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6  6s2 4f14 5dxy1 5dyz1 5dxz1 5d1x2-y2 5dy22 or [Xe]4f14 5d6  6s2.

Ground state Rhenium orbital diagram

The electrons are placed in Re ground state ([Xe]4f14 5d6  6s2) according to the conventional filling criteria in ascending sequence of energies.

rhenium electron configuration
Orbital Energy Picture of Re

Conclusion

Rhenium is an element of group 7 of the periodic table. It has an atomic radius of 137 pm. The electron configuration method is used to arrange these electrons in line with the laws of various orbits.

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