COORDINATION COMPOUND

Coordination Compounds
A coordination compound (also called complexes) consists of a complex ion
(central atom+ ligand) and a counter ion.
A complex ion contains a central metal cation surrounded by ligands
The molecules or ions that surround the metal in a complex ion are called
ligands. A ligand has at least one unshared pair of valence electrons.
The atom in a ligand that is bound directly to the metal atom is the
donor atom.

O ••
N
H H H H H
 Ligands
o a neutral molecule or ion having a lone pair that can be
donated (Lewis bases) to form a bond with a metal ion (Lewis
acid).
• the metal ion is a Lewis acid (electron pair acceptor).
• Lewis bases ( electron pair donor) by definition are
ligands.
o a metal–ligand bond is called a coordinative covalent bond.
• it results from a Lewis acid–base interaction in which a
ligand donates an electron pair to an empty orbital on a
metal ion
 Coordination Number
The total number of dative covalent bonds the metal atom forms with
ligands is the coordination number.
The tetrahedron is the more common while the square planar is found in particular with
metal ions having a d8 electronic configuration
Cu
 What are the oxidation numbers of the metals in
K[Au(OH)4] and [Cr(NH3)6](NO3)3 ?

OH- has charge of -1

K+ has charge of +1
? Au + 1 + 4x(-1) = 0 NO3- has charge of -1
Au = +3
NH3 has no charge

? Cr + 6x(0) + 3x(-1) = 0

Cr = +3
 Formulas of Coordination
Compounds
1. Cation then anion
2. Total charges must balance to zero
3. Complex ion in brackets

K2[Co(NH3)2Cl4]

[Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl
 Names of Coordination
Compounds
1. Cation then anion
2. Ligands
in alphabetical order before metal ion
neutral: molecule name*
anionic: -ide  -o
prefix indicates number of each
3. Oxidation state of metal ion in () only if more
than one possible

4. If complex ion = anion, metal ending  -ate

If the ligand name is complicated
 Names of Some Common Ligands
Anionic Names Neutral Ligands Names
Ligands
Br- bromo NH3 ammine

F- fluoro H2O aqua

O2- oxo NO Nitrosyl

OH- Hydroxo CO Carbonyl

CN- cyano O2 dioxygen

C2O42- oxalato N2 dinitrogen

CO32- carbonato C5H5N pyridine

CH3COO- acetato H2NCH2CH2NH2 ethylenediamine

 Numerical Prefixes
Number Prefix Number Prefix Number Prefix
1 mono 5 Penta 9 Nona
(pentakis) (ennea)

2 di (bis) 6 hexa 10 deca

(hexakis)

3 tri (tris) 7 hepta 11 undeca

4 Tetra 8 octa 12 dodeca

(tetrakis)
• [Cr(NH3)3(H2O)3]Cl3
• Answer: triamminetriaquachromium(III) chloride
• Solution: The complex ion is inside the parentheses, which is
a cation.

• The ammine ligands are named before the aqua ligands

according to alphabetical order.

• Since there are three chlorides binding with the complex ion,
the charge on the complex ion must be +3 ( since the
compound is electrically neutral).

• From the charge on the complex ion and the charge on the
ligands, we can calculate the oxidation number of the metal.
In this example, all the ligands are neutral molecules.
Therefore, the oxidation number of chromium must be same
as the charge of the complex ion, +3.
• [Pt(NH3)5Cl]Br3

• Answer: pentaamminechloroplatinum(IV) bromide

• Solution: The complex ion is a cation, the counter anion is the
3 bromides.
• The charge of the complex ion must be +3 since it bonds with
3 bromides.
• The NH3 are neutral molecules while the chloride carries - 1
charge. Therefore, the oxidation number of platinum must
be +4.
• [Pt(H2NCH2CH2NH2)2Cl2]Cl2

• Answer: dichlorobis(ethylenediamine)platinum(IV) chloride

• Solution: ethylenediamine is a bidentate ligand, the bis-

prefix is used instead of di-
• Na2[NiCl4]

• Answer: sodium tetrachloronickelate(II)

• Solution: The complex ion is the anion so we have to add the

suffix –ate in the name of the metal.
 Let us try these!!!!
K2[Co(NH3)2Cl4]
potassium
diamminetetrachlorocobaltate(II)

[Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl
tetraamminedichlorocobalt(III)
chloride
Can you give the molecular formulas of the
following coordination compounds?

1. hexaammineiron(III) nitrate
2. ammonium tetrachlorocuprate(II)
3. sodium monochloropentacyanoferrate(III)
4. potassium hexafluorocobaltate(III)

Can you give the name of the following

coordination compounds?

5. [CoBr(NH3)5]SO4
6. [Fe(NH3)6][Cr(CN)6]
7. [Co(SO4)(NH3)5]+
8. [Fe(OH)(H2O)5]2+
Answers:

1. [Fe(NH3)6](NO3)3

2. (NH4)2[CuCl4]

3. Na3[FeCl1(CN)5]

4. K3[CoF6]

5. pentaamminebromocobalt(III) sulfate

6. hexaammineiron(III)
hexacyanochromate (III)

7. pentaamminesulfatocobalt(III) ion

8. pentaaquahydroxoiron(III) ion
THE END
How to name them????
Examples Give the systematic names for
the following coordination compounds:
1. [Cr(NH3)3(H2O)3]Cl3
Answer: triamminetriaquachromium(III) chloride
Solution: The complex ion is inside the parentheses, which is a
cation.
The ammine ligands are named before the aqua ligands
according to alphabetical order.
Since there are three chlorides binding with the complex ion, the
charge on the complex ion must be +3 ( since the compound is
electrically neutral).
From the charge on the complex ion and the charge on the
ligands, we can calculate the oxidation number of the metal. In
this example, all the ligands are neutral molecules. Therefore, the
oxidation number of chromium must be same as the charge of
the complex ion, +3.
2. [Pt(NH3)5Cl]Br3 3. [Pt(H2NCH2CH2NH2)2Cl2]Cl2
Answer:
Answer:
pentaamminechloroplatinum(I
dichlorobis(ethylenedi
V) bromide
amine)platinum(IV)
Solution: The complex ion is
chloride
a cation, the counter anion is
Solution:
the 3 bromides.
ethylenediamine is a
The charge of the complex
bidentate ligand, the
ion must be +3 since it bonds
bis- prefix is used
with 3 bromides.
instead of di-
The NH3 are neutral
molecules while the chloride
carries - 1 charge. Therefore,
the oxidation number of
platinum must be +4.
4. [Co(H2NCH2CH2NH2)3]2(SO4)3
Answer:
tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III)
sulfate
Solution: The sulfate is the
counter anion in this molecule.
Since it takes 3 sulfates to bond
with two complex cations, the
charge on each complex cation
must be +3.
Since ethylenediamine is a
neutral molecule, the oxidation
number of cobalt in the complex
ion must be +3.
Again, remember that you never
have to indicate the number of
cations and anions in the name of
an ionic compound.
5. K4[Fe(CN)6]
Answer: potassium
hexacyanoferrate(II)
Solution: potassium is the
cation and the complex
ion is the anion.
Since there are 4 K+
binding with a complex
ion, the charge on the
complex ion must be - 4.
Since each ligand carries
–1 charge, the oxidation
number of Fe must be +2.
The common name of this
compound is potassium
ferrocyanide.
 6. Na2[NiCl4] 7. Pt(NH3)2Cl4
Answer: sodium Answer:
tetrachloronickelate(II) diamminetetrachloroplatinum(I
Solution: The complex ion V)
is the anion so we have to Solution: This is a neutral
add the suffix –ate in the molecule because the charge
name of the metal. on Pt+4 equals the negative
charges on the four chloro
ligands.
If the compound is
[Pt(NH3)2Cl2]Cl2, eventhough
the number of ions and atoms
in the molecule are identical to
the example, it should be
named:
diamminedichloroplatinum(II)
chloride, a big difference.
8. Fe(CO)5 9. (NH4)2[Ni(C2O4)2(H2O)2]

Answer: Answer: ammonium

pentacarbonyliron(0) diaquabis(oxalato)nicke
Solution: Since it is a late(II)
neutral complex, it is Solution: The oxalate
named in the same way ion is a bidentate ligand.
as a complex cation.
The common name of 10. [Ag(NH3)2][Ag(CN)2]
this compound, iron
Answer: diamminesilver(I)
carbonyl, is used more
dicyanoargentate(I)
often.
You can have a compound
where both the cation and the
anion are complex ions.
Notice how the name of the
metal differs even though
they are the same metal ions.