Question

How do transition metals react with water?

Answer 1

Hint: Due to the presence of partially filled electrons in the d-orbital of the transition metals they form a stable cation by losing their one valence electrons. They generally react very slowly in cold water.

Complete step by step answer:
Transition metals also known as transition chemical elements are the elements which have partially filled d-orbital. According to the IUPAC, the transition metals are defined as the metals which have the ability to form a stable cation from the partially filled d-orbital.
In general, any element present in the d-block of the modern periodic table which consists of groups 3 to 12 are referred to as a transition element. Also, the lanthanides and actinides of f-block are considered as the transition metals. But the f-block elements have incompletely filled f-orbitals, they are more precisely referred to as inner transition elements or inner transition metals.
The general electronic configuration of transition metals is $(n - 1){d^5}n{s^1}$, they lose their electrons to form a stable cation. The transition metal ion reacts very slowly with cold water or it does not react whereas it dissolves in water to form a coordination complex. The coordination complex or the coordination compounds are those complexes where the central metal ion which is the transition metal is bonded to one or more than one ligands by a coordinate bond.
Salts of transition metals,$M{X_2}$, dissolve in water to form coordination complexes $[M{(O{H_2})_6}]{X_2}$. The central metal ion is bonded to six water molecules and two halogen atoms. The halogen atom and water are the two ligands. The complex formed is octahedral in structure.

Note: Water is a neutral ligand where the electron pairs are present in the oxygen atom. While naming the coordination complex, the water ligand is named as aqua or aqu.