Lecture Eighteen - Inorganic isomers Flashcards
What are the different kinds of isomerism in coordination complexes?
What is linkage isomerism?
Where a single ligand has two or more donor atoms which can attach in more than one way.
E.g. nitrate can bond at either the N or O.
What are hydration and ionisation isomers?
Due to exchange of ligands in first coordination sphere with those outside it.
Coordination sphere = refers to a central atom or ion and an array of molecules or anions, the ligands, around.
Hydration isomers involve water.
Ionisation isomers involve exchange of anionic ligands.
Coordination isomerism - when both a complex cation and anion are present -> combinations.
What are the different kinds of stereo and structureal isomers?
What are the different geometric isomers?
Geometric isomers = Having the same connectivity of atoms, but the spatial arrangement differs e.g. cis- and trans- isomers.
Enantiomers (optical isomers) are also structureal isomers i.e. mirror images that are not superimposible.
Some octahedral complexes do not have optical isomers depending on their spatial arrangement of atoms.
