Introduction: A complex ion has a metal ion at its centre with a number of other molecules or ions surrounding it.

These can be considered to be attached to the central ion by coordinate (dative covalent) bonds. A co-ordinate bond (also called a dative covalent bond) is a covalent bond (a shared pair of electrons) in which both electrons come from the same atom. The molecules or ions surrounding the central metal ion are called ligands. Simple ligands include water, ammonia, acetyl acetone and chloride ions. Ligand has active lone pairs of electrons in the outer energy level. These are used to form co-ordinate bonds with the metal ion. All ligands are lone pair donors. In other words, all ligands function as Lewis bases. In Lewis acid-base theory, a base is an electron pair donor and an acid is an electron pair acceptor. Ligands like water, can donate a pair of non-bonding electrons (lone pair) into a vacant orbital of a central metal ion and so dative covalent (co-ordinate) bonds hold a complex together. Overall, the central metal ion with vacant bonding orbitals can act as a Lewis acid. Ligands act as Lewis bases by electron pair donation to form the metal-ligand bond.