In this paper the 3s2p inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) cross sections of CaF 2 are analyzed using a ligand-field
multiplet approach. All dipole matrix elements necessary for the IXS cross section are calculated and it is
shown that interference effects are not negligible. The important possibility to map out a specific character of
the 2p^5 3d^1 intermediate states is explained. The experimental results of Rubensson et al. are reproduced with
the ligand field multiplet model and the Kramers-Heisenberg equation of inelastic x-ray scattering. The values
found for the ligand-field splitting (20.91 eV) and the 3s3d exchange splitting (1.2 eV) differ from the results
fitted to experiment