Lanthanide Contraction

Last Updated : 25 Feb, 2024

Lanthanide Contraction is a phenomenon that describes the steady decrease in the size of the atoms and ions of the rare-earth elements as the atomic number increases. The lanthanide contraction is a significant factor in the close chemical similarity of the rare-earth elements and affects the properties of the post-lanthanide elements. This phenomenon has implications for various properties, such as atomic size, density, and chemical reactivity.

Table of Content

What is Lanthanide?
What is Lanthanide Contraction?
Consequences of Lanthanide Contraction
Cause of Lanthanide Contraction
Electronic Configuration of Lanthanide

What is Lanthanide?

Lanthanides are the rare earth elements of the modern periodic table, consisting of 15 metallic elements with atomic numbers from 57 to 71, following the element lanthanum. They are also referred to as lanthanoids and are part of the f-block of the periodic table. The lanthanides have similar configurations and exhibit identical physical and chemical behavior, with the most common valences being 3 and 4. These elements are known for their high density and melting points and are available in ‘monazite’ sand as lanthanide orthophosphate. They are also called f-block elements.

Properties of Lanthanides Series

The lanthanide series, also called the lanthanoid series, is a group of 15 elements whose atomic numbers are from 57 to 71. These elements are rare earth metals and have different properties. Some of the important properties of the lanthanides are:

The lanthanides have many similar physical properties, such as soft and silvery-white metals that burn when exposed to air.
The most common oxidation state for lanthanides is +3, and they can also exhibit +2 and +4 oxidation states. Due to the slight change in ionic radii, the lanthanides have similar chemical properties, making their separation challenging.
Lanthanides have various applications, including lasers, magnets, eyeglasses, lighter flints, safety glasses, and medical devices.
The lanthanides are essential elements with many uses and unique chemical properties, making them a significant group in the periodic table. Ce³⁺ can lose its single f electron to form Ce⁴⁺ with a stable electronic configuration.

What is Lanthanide Contraction?

Lanthanide contraction refers to the greater-than-expected decrease in atomic and ionic radii of the elements in the lanthanide series from left to right. It is caused by the poor shielding effect of the 4f electrons, which results in an increase in the effective nuclear charge attracting each electron, leading to successive reductions in atomic and ionic radii.

Lanthanide Contraction

Consequences of Lanthanide Contraction

The lanthanide contraction is a phenomenon that occurs in the lanthanide series, where the atomic and ionic radii of the elements decrease as the atomic number increases. The effects of the lanthanide contraction are:

Atomic Size: The atomic size of the elements in the lanthanide series decreases as the atomic number increases, resulting in a smaller atomic radius.
Difficulty in Separation: The slight change in ionic radii of the lanthanides makes their separation challenging.
Effect on Basic Strength of Hydroxides: The hydroxides’ covalent character increases as the lanthanides’ size decreases from La to Lu.
Complex Formation: The lanthanide contraction affects the formation of complexes, as the smaller size of the ions can lead to stronger bonding.
Ionization Energy: The lanthanide contraction significantly affects the ionization energy of the lanthanide series. The ionization energy increases as the atomic and ionic radii decrease due to the lanthanide contraction.
Impact on coordination number: The lanthanide contraction decreases coordination number as one moves down the series. For example, lanthanide ions smaller than La form higher coordination numbers, such as 11-coordinate structures, while those with larger lanthanide ions may form lower coordination numbers.
Ions in crystal lattices: The lanthanide contraction profoundly impacts the crystal structures and properties of compounds containing lanthanide ions, leading to a wide variation in crystal structures and increased symmetry around the lanthanide ions in crystal lattices.

Cause of Lanthanide Contraction

As the atomic number increases across the lanthanide series, the nuclear charge increases, and the 4f electrons poorly shield the outer shell electrons, leading to a greater effective nuclear charge and a decrease in atomic and ionic radii.

Increasing nuclear charge
Poor shielding effect of 4f electrons
Decrease in atomic and ionic radii

The lanthanide contraction affects the properties and chemistry of the lanthanides, making their separation easier, but it also influences the post-lanthanide elements, making their separation more difficult.

Influence of Electron Shielding

The influence of electron shielding effect on Lanthanide Contraction can be:

The poor shielding effect of the 4f electrons causes Lanthanide Contraction.
The 4f electrons shield the outer shell electrons less effectively than s, p, and d electrons.
As a result, the effective nuclear charge increases, and the atomic and ionic radii decrease.
The shielding effect is less effective in the lanthanide series due to the filling of the 4f subshell located near the nucleus.
The poor shielding effect produces a greater-than-expected decrease in atomic and ionic radii.
The shielding effect is a fundamental concept in chemistry, where inner shell electrons protect outer shell electrons from the positive charge of the nucleus.

Electronic Configuration of Lanthanide

Electronic configuration results from the unique energy levels of the 4f, 5d, and 6s subshells, which gradually fill the 4f sublevel before the 5d and 6s sublevels. The filling of the 4f sublevel gives the general electronic configuration of the lanthanides. For example, the electronic configurations of some lanthanide elements are as follows:

Element	Symbol	Electronic Configuration
Lanthanum	(La)	[Xe]4f⁰5d¹6s²
Cerium	(Ce)	[Xe]4f¹5d¹6s²
Praseodymium	(Pr)	[Xe]4f³5d⁰6s²
Neodymium	(Nd)	[Xe]4f⁴5d⁰6s²
Promethium	(Pm)	[Xe]4f⁵5d⁰6s²
Samarium	(Sm)	[Xe]4f⁶5d⁰6s²
Europium	(Eu)	[Xe]4f⁷5d⁰6s²
Gadoliniuim	(Gd)	[Xe]4f⁷5d¹6s²
Terbium	(Tb)	[Xe]4f⁹5⁰6s²
Dysprosium	(Dy)	[Xe]4f¹⁰5d⁰6s²
Holmium	(Ho)	[Xe]4f¹¹5d⁰6s²
Erbium	(Er)	[Xe]4f¹²5d⁰6s²
Thulium	(Tm)	[Xe]4f¹³5d⁰6s²
Ytterbium	(Yb)	[Xe]4f¹⁴5d⁰6s²
Luterium	(Lu)	[Xe]4f¹⁴5d¹6s²

The filling of the 4f sublevel continues in this manner across the lanthanide series, with the 4f sublevel being filled before the 5d and 6s sublevels. This unique electronic configuration is a defining characteristic of the lanthanide series.

Ionization Energy of Lanthanide

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom. It is a measure of the nuclear attraction over the outermost electron in a given species. The ionization energy of the lanthanide elements generally increases with increasing atomic number, except for a few irregularities. The trend’s irregularities are due to the lanthanide contraction, change in electronic configuration, and poor screening of d -d-electrons.

4f subshell binding energy is so great that the remaining 4f electrons are regarded as “core-like,” leading to the rule of thumb that the fourth ionization energy (I₄) is greater than the sum of the first three ionization energies (I₁ + I₂+ I₃) for almost all lanthanides. This trend is due to the stability associated with half-filled (4f⁷) and fully-filled (4f¹⁴) subshells, which require more energy to remove an electron, resulting in higher ionization energies.

Oxidation state of Lanthanide

Lanthanide series elements primarily exhibit an oxidation state of +3, which is the most stable state for these elements. While some lanthanides can exhibit oxidation states such as +2 and +4, the +3 state is the most common and stable. For example, Europium exists in both +2 and +3 oxidation states, while Gadolinium is in the +3 state.

The presence of the f-subshell affects the stability of different oxidation states, with the +3 state being the most stable due to the energy required to remove an electron and the hydration energy when the ions combine with water. The +2 and +4 oxidation states are less frequent and are usually converted to the +3 state. The higher oxidation states of the lanthanides are stabilized by fluoride or oxide ions, while the lower oxidation states are favored by bromide or iodide ions.

Why does lanthanide show a variable oxidation state?

Lanthanides show variable oxidation states due to the presence of f-subshell, which significantly influences the oxidation states exhibited by these metals. The energy gap between 4f and 5d orbitals is large, limiting the number of oxidation states compared to the d-block elements. Lanthanides show +2, +3, and +4 oxidation states, with +3 being the most stable.

Oxidation in Aqueous Solution

In an aqueous solution, some lanthanides lose electrons and act as good reducing agents, while others gain electrons and act as good oxidizing agents. For example, Sm2+, Eu2+, and Yb2+ lose electrons and are good reducing agents, while Ce⁴⁺, Pr⁴⁺, and Tb⁴⁺ gain electrons and are good oxidizing agents. The uneven distribution of oxidation states among the lanthanides is attributed to the high stability of empty, half-filled, or fully-filled f-subshells, which affects their oxidation states and makes them strong reducing or oxidizing agents.

Chemical Reactivity of Lanthanide

The lanthanides exhibit a range of chemical reactivities:

They oxidize rapidly in moist air, dissolve quickly in acids, and react with oxygen, with some igniting around 150-200 °C.
They also react with halogens upon heating and with sulfur, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen upon heating.
The lanthanides show similarity in reactivity, which is greater than that of the transition elements, due to the shielding of unpaired electrons of the inner 4f-orbital by the outer 5s, 5p, and 5d orbitals.
They readily tarnish with oxygen, form oxides, and can form hydrides, halides, and various compounds with nonmetals.

Physical Properties of Lanthanides

The physical properties of lanthanides include:

Density of Lanthanides

Lanthanides have a high density ranging between 6.77 and 9.74 g/cm³, which increases with increasing atomic number. The density of d-block elements is higher than that of lanthanides.

Melting and Boiling Points of Lanthanides

Lanthanides have relatively high melting and boiling points, with no clear trend in these points.

Magnetic Properties of Lanthanides

Lanthanides exhibit paramagnetic properties due to the presence of unpaired electrons in their orbitals, except for Lu³⁺, Yb²⁺, and Ce⁴⁺, which are diamagnetic.

Uses of Lanthanides

Lanthanides have various uses in many fields. Some of the common uses of lanthanides include:

Catalysts and Refining: Lanthanides are used as catalysts in petroleum refining and the production of glasses. About 45% of lanthanides are used in catalytic converters, and 25% are employed in petroleum refining catalysts.
Optical Devices: Some lanthanides, such as erbium, are used in optical devices like night vision goggles, laser beams, and phosphorescent materials.
Lamps, Lasers, and Magnets: Lanthanides are used in lamps, lasers, and magnets, including the production of superconductors, high-flux rare-earth magnets, and neodymium-iron-boron magnets
Other Applications: Lanthanides are also used in glass polishing and ceramics and as (co-)dopants in doped-fiber optical amplifiers. They are also used in producing sunglass lenses and in magnetic resonance imaging.

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