EasyChemistryHigh School (11–12)Coordination Compounds › Isomerism in Coordination CompoundsConceptualA-LevelIB
Name the kind of structural isomerism in each pair, or say that the two are not isomers…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Name the kind of structural isomerism in each pair, or say that the two are not isomers.
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Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Structural isomers have the same overall formula. Ionisation and hydrate isomers differ in what sits inside the bracket and what sits outside. Only free ions outside the bracket precipitate with silver nitrate (halide) or barium chloride (sulphate). Linkage isomers use another donor atom of an ambidentate ligand. Coordination isomers swap ligands between two complex ions.
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.
Given. Five pairs of formulas.
Plan. Add up the atoms in each pair. If the totals agree, find what moved.
(a) Both hold one platinum, three ammonia, one chlorine and one nitrite. The chlorine is inside the bracket in the first and outside in the second. This is ionisation isomerism.
(b) The thiocyanate ion bonds through sulphur in the first and through nitrogen in the second. This is linkage isomerism.
(c) Two bromide ligands and four waters sit inside the bracket in the second. In the first, six waters are inside and the bromides are free. This is hydrate isomerism.
(d) The ammonia and the cyanide have swapped between two complex ions. This is coordination isomerism.
(e) The first has five ammonia and the second six, so the totals differ. These are different compounds, not isomers.
Answer: pairs (a) to (d) are isomers, so pairs.
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