The data on the ionic staining of glasses are analyzed from the standpoint of ligand field theory. New information is added to the existing information on the staining of glasses by transition-metal compounds. Data on the structure of glass-forming melts and the conditions for the formation of staining complexes are presented. A possible mechanism for amber staining in glasses is discussed.Ionic staining of glasses is accomplished, as a rule, with transition and rare-earth elements. Some of these compounds can also be used for decolorize glasses, which is a kind of staining.The current view is that staining is due to the formation of coordination (complex) compounds in which the character of the chemical bond is studied from the standpoint of the valence-bond, crystal-field, and molecular-orbital theories [1 -3]. The basic tenets of these theories as applied to the transition elements are gathered under the name "ligand field theory." The methods used in this theory make it possible to calculate quite accurately the spectral characteristics of coloring complexes, including for glasses [1, 3 -5].The present article presents a complete analysis of ionic staining of glasses. The relationship between color centers and the basic structural elements of glasses is very important for glass technology. This relationship is quite complicated and can be viewed, for example, from the standpoint of the solvation interaction, whose basic ideas as applied to solutions are developed in the monograph [6] and have essentially not been studied for glasses.Ligand field theory studies the interaction of ligands on the d or f orbitals of a complexing ion. Ligands split the corresponding energy levels of the orbitals.The present article will focus on ionic staining determined by the 3d orbitals of ions of transition elements and oxygen ligands. In addition, the mechanism proposed for the formation of complexes with mixed ligands will be examined for the example of amber staining of glass.Ionic staining of glass by transition-metal compounds, as a rule, is associated with octahedral and tetrahedral arrangements of ligands around a complexing ion. The form and spatial arrangement of the d orbitals and their energy levels in the octahedral and tetrahedral environment of ligands (for one spatial variant) are displayed in Fig. 1. In an octahedral ligand field three electron orbitals occupy the lowest energy level d e while two orbitals occupy the higher energy level d g . The opposite picture is observed in a tetrahedral ligand field. When studying transition elements with an increasing numFree ion z z y y x x d g d g d e d e D D à b Fig. 1. Splitting of the energy levels of d electrons in octahedral (a) and tetrahedral (b ) fields of oxygen ligands.