Metal Complexes

Learning outcomes - after studying this topic, you should be able to:
  • define complex, ligand and coordinate bond
  • recognize that hydrolysis of metal ions in aqueous solutions gives rise to acidic solutions and predict their relative acidity
  • recognize chelate ligands, their donor atoms and the stability of their complexes
  • name coordination complexes and compounds using IUPAC nomenclature
  • identify isomers including structural, geometrical and optical isomerism for tetrahedral, square planar and octahedral complexes
  • write down the form of the stability constant, Kstab, for a complex
  • recognize and predict how the formation of stable complexes can increase the apparent solubility of salts by combining Ksp and Kstab expressions

Textbook and eBook References

ChemCAL, iChem and Contributed Resources

Complexes - Self Learning Questions
Contributed by Adam Bridgeman
 
 
Colours of transition metal complexes
Description: Origin of the beautiful colours of complexes
Contributed by Adam Bridgeman
 
 
Formulas, Names of Complexes and d-Configurations
Description: Video, interactive tutorial and self test quizzes on naming coordination compounds and working out d-configurations
Tags: coordination chemistry | coordination compounds | complex ions | d-configurations
Contributed by Adam Bridgeman