Coordination Chemistry 1 Flashcards
Transition Metal
An element with a partially filled d- (or f-) sub-shell in at least one common oxidation state.
Complex (or Coordination Compound)
Positively charged central ion (or possibly a neutral atom), an acceptor, surrounded in a symmetrical manner by a shell of ions or molecules called ligands.
Acceptor
electrophile or lewis acid
Ligand
nucleophile or lewis base
Monodentate (or Unidentate) Ligands
One donor atom - they can be neutral or anionic ligands
Bidentate Ligands
Two donor atoms
Tridentate Ligands
Three donor atoms
Tetradentate Ligands
Four donor atoms
Hexadentate Ligands
6 donor atoms - [EDTA] 4-
Chelation
Formation of complexes by chelate ligands - simultaneous binding of multiple donor atoms by forming rings around the central atom
Ambidentate Ligands
Ligands that can attach themselves to the other central metal atoms through different atoms
Bridging Ligand
A ligand attached to two or more, usually metallic, central atoms.
Coordination number
Number of ligand atoms directly bonded to the central metal in the complex.
Nuclearity
The number of central metal atoms in a complex
Isomers
Two or more different compournds having the same formula, but different structures.
Stereoisomers
different arrangements of atoms
Structural Isomers
different bonds between atoms
Conformational isomers
interconvertible by bond rotation
Configurational isomers
non-interconvertible by bond rotation
Optical Isomers: enantiomers
- have the same atoms, same sets of bonds but differ in relative orientation of these bonds
- non-superimposable mirror images
- they have identical physical, chemical and spectral properties except for they interact differently with a chiral environment
- they are optically active
Diastereoisomers
not mirror images
Ʌ
left-handed helix for optical isomerism in an octahedral complex with bidentate ligands
Δ
right-handed helix for optical isomerism in an octahedral complex with bidentate ligands
Resolution of optical isomers
A racemic mixture is separated into its two constituent enantiomers by converting the enantiomers into a mixture of diastereoisomers, which differ in physical properties and can therefore be separated (they have different solubilities).
Polarimeter
used to measure the angle of rotation of each enantiomer
- the observed rotation is proportional to the amount of each enantiomer present
Coordination Isomerism
Form of structural isomerism in which the composition of the coordination complex ion varies.
- Made up of both cationic and anionic complex ions
- Neutral species are not allowed
Hydrate (solvent) Isomerism
Possible with water in or out of coordination sphere - the compounds differ by the number of solvent molecules directly bonded to the metal ion.
Ionisation Isomerism
Involves the exchange of ions inside and outside of the coordination sphere.
- Made up of a complex ion and counter ion (counter ion must also be able to be a ligand)
Linkage Isomerism
Coordination compounds with the same composition but differ in their metal atom’s connectivity to a ligand (ambidentate ligands only)
OH 2 ligand
aqua
N 2 ligand
dinitrogen
O 2 ligand
dioxygen
NH 3 ligand
ammine
CO ligand
carbonyl
Cl - ligand
chloro (chlorido)
Br - ligand
bromo (bromido)
[SCN] - ligand
thiocyanato / isothiocyanato
OH - ligand
hydroxo (hydroxido)
CN - ligand
cyano (cyanido)
[NO 2 ] - ligand
nitro / nitrito