Term: crystal field splitting
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01429

Definition:
The removal of a degeneracy of the energy levels of molecular entities or ions due to the lower site symmetry created by a crystalline environment. This term is sometimes incorrectly used synonymously with the term ligand field splitting.

Related Terms:
1) degeneracy (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01556).
2) ligand field splitting (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03517).

Source: PAC, 1996, 68, 2223. 'Glossary of terms used in photochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2234 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122223)

Citation: 'crystal field splitting' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01429

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