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Extraction: Advanced Methods00:56

Extraction: Advanced Methods

Metal ions can be separated from one another by complexation with organic ligands–the chelating agent– to form uncharged chelates. Here, the chelating agent must contain hydrophobic groups and behave as a weak acid, losing a proton to bind with the metal. Since most organic ligands used in this process are insoluble or undergo oxidation in the aqueous phase, the chelating agent is initially added to the organic phase and extracted into the aqueous phase. The metal-ligand complex is formed in...
Complexometric Titration: Ligands00:43

Complexometric Titration: Ligands

Different monodentate and polydentate ligands are used as complexing agents in complexometric titration reactions. The formation of complexes by mono- and bidentate ligands involves two or more intermediate steps, limiting their use as complexing agents. In comparison, polydentate ligands can form complexes with metal ions in a single-step process, facilitating sharper end points. This means polydentate ligands, such as amino carboxylic acid derivatives, are most commonly employed in...
Ladder Diagrams: Complexation Equilibria01:07

Ladder Diagrams: Complexation Equilibria

Ladder diagrams are useful for evaluating equilibria involving metal-ligand complexes. The vertical scale of the ladder diagram represents the concentration of unreacted or free ligand, pL. The horizontal lines on the scale depict the log of stepwise formation constants for metal-ligand complexes and indicate the dominant species in all the regions.
The formation constant, K1, for the formation of Cd(NH3)2+ complex from cadmium and ammonia is 3.55 × 102. Log K1 (i.e. pNH3) is 2.55, and...
Complexation Equilibria: Overview01:23

Complexation Equilibria: Overview

Complexation reactions take place when dative or coordinate covalent bonds form between metal ions and ligands. The compounds formed in these reactions are called coordination compounds. The number of bonds formed between the metal ion and the ligands is called its coordination number. Generally, most metal ions in an aqueous solution are solvated by water molecules and thus exist as aqua complexes.
The equilibrium constant of the complexation reaction is represented as the formation constant...
Complexometric Titration: Overview00:39

Complexometric Titration: Overview

Complexometric titration involves the formation of a complex by reacting a metal ion with one or more ligands. A visual indicator often detects the end point of a complexometric titration. It is added to the metal solution before the titration, forming a stable metal–indicator complex and imparting color to the solution. As the titration approaches the equivalence point, the excess of the added ligand displaces the indicator from the metal–indicator complex, releasing the free indicator. The...
Formation of Complex Ions03:45

Formation of Complex Ions

A type of Lewis acid-base chemistry involves the formation of a complex ion (or a coordination complex) comprising a central atom, typically a transition metal cation, surrounded by ions or molecules called ligands. These ligands can be neutral molecules like H2O or NH3, or ions such as CN− or OH−. Often, the ligands act as Lewis bases, donating a pair of electrons to the central atom. These types of Lewis acid-base reactions are examples of a broad subdiscipline called coordination...