HardChemistryHigh School (11–12)Coordination Compounds › Isomerism in Coordination CompoundsNumericalA-LevelIBJEE Main
Consider octahedral [Co(NH₃)₄(NO₂)(SCN)]⁺…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Consider octahedral . The nitrite can bond through N or O. The thiocyanate can bond through S or N. How many linkage isomers are there, if you ignore cis and trans? How many isomers in all, when the cis and trans forms of each are counted too?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Cis ligands are apart and trans ligands apart. Tetrahedral complexes have no geometrical isomers. Octahedral has fac and mer forms. To count the isomers of a monodentate octahedral complex, write the ligands as three trans pairs and count the different sets. The net dipole of two bonds with dipole at an angle is .
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Linkage. Nitrite has ways to bond and thiocyanate has . The choices multiply: linkage isomers.
Step 2. Geometry. The complex is of the type , which has geometrical isomers: cis and trans.
Step 3. All together. Each linkage isomer can be cis or trans: .
Answer: linkage isomers and isomers in all.
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