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Related Concept Videos

Coordination Number and Geometry02:57

Coordination Number and Geometry

For transition metal complexes, the coordination number determines the geometry around the central metal ion. Table 1 compares coordination numbers to molecular geometry. The most common structures of the complexes in coordination compounds are octahedral, tetrahedral, and square planar.
Valence Bond Theory02:42

Valence Bond Theory

Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes02:46

Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes

Tetrahedral Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview01:24

The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview

Crystals with various point group symmetries belong to different crystal classes, which are synonymous terms. Despite being in the same class, crystals may have distinct shapes, like cubes and octahedra. There are 32 three-dimensional point groups, all of which are systematically divided into seven crystal systems.The basic cubic crystal system, exemplified by NaCl, features orthogonal vectors (α = β = �� = 90°) of equal lengths (a = b = c). When specific requirements are not imposed on the...
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Stereoisomerism02:52

Stereoisomerism

Isomerism in Complexes
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...

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Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
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Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates

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The trigonal prism in coordination chemistry.

Eduard Cremades1, Jorge Echeverría, Santiago Alvarez

  • 1Departament de Química Inorgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.

Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|July 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary

This study explores trigonal-prismatic geometry in metal complexes, finding specific electron configurations and hexadentate ligands favor this structure. Jahn-Teller distortions are also analyzed.

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Published on: February 15, 2016

Line Shape Analysis of Dynamic NMR Spectra for Characterizing Coordination Sphere Rearrangements at a Chiral Rhenium Polyhydride Complex
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The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes

Published on: April 10, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Structural Chemistry

Background:

  • The trigonal-prismatic geometry is less common than octahedral but significant in coordination chemistry.
  • Understanding factors influencing coordination geometry is crucial for designing novel metal complexes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the accessibility of trigonal-prismatic geometry for various metal complexes.
  • To investigate the role of hexadentate ligands in stabilizing this coordination polyhedron.
  • To examine the influence of electron configurations on geometry and potential distortions.

Main Methods:

  • Structural database analysis across the transition-metal series.
  • Qualitative molecular orbital analysis of geometric distortions.
  • Computational studies on transition-metal complexes with hexadentate ligands.

Main Results:

  • Identified specific electron configurations that favor trigonal-prismatic geometry.
  • Determined the propensity of certain hexadentate ligands to stabilize this geometry.
  • Analyzed the tendency for cis bond-stretch Jahn-Teller distortions in specific configurations.

Conclusions:

  • Trigonal-prismatic geometry is accessible and influenced by electronic factors and ligand design.
  • The study provides insights into predicting and stabilizing non-octahedral coordination geometries.
  • Understanding these principles aids in the rational design of metal complexes with desired properties.