Ligands

Ligands are those atoms or groups of atoms which have a tendency to

donate lone pair of electrons to the central metal atoms or ion.

Classification of ligands:
A) Classification on the basis of charge:
i) Neutral ligands: Such ligands possess no electrical charge present on them.
They are usually molecular species have one or more lone pairs of electrons.
Example: H2O –aqua NH3 - ammine CO – carbonyl C5H5N- pyridine (py)
ii) Anionic ligands: Such ligands carry negative charge on them. These are
anionic species containing one or more lone pairs of electrons.
Example: F- - fluorido Cl- – chloride Br- bromido I- – iodido
CN- - cyano OH- – hydroxo CH3COO- - acetato
iii) Cationic ligands: Such ligands carry positive charge and occur very rarely in
complexes. NO+ nitrosylium NH2N+H3 – hydrazinium
Denticity: It refers to the number of donor groups in a single ligand that bind
to a central atom in a coordination complex.
B) Classification on the basis of the number of donor atoms
i) Unidentate ligands/monodentate ligands: The ligands which possess only
one donor atom and can form only one coordinate bond to the central metal
atom or ion. They may be neutral or anionic.
Examples:
Ligand Name Donor Ligand Name Donor
atom atom
H2O Aqua O CN- cyano C
NH3 ammine N OH- hydroxo O
CO carbonyl O CH3COO- acetato O
C5H5N- pyridine (py) N All halogens
NO2- nitro N -ONO- nitrito O
SCN- thiocyanato S NCS- isothiocyanato N

ii) Didentate ligands/bidentate ligands: The ligands which possess two donor
atoms and can form two coordinate bonds with the central metal atom or ion
are called dentate ligands.
Examples:
Ligand Name Donor atom
COO-
І Oxalato(ox) O and O
COO-
NH2 – CH2– CH2 -- NH2 Ethylenediamine (or) N and N
Ethane-1,2-diamine (en)
NH2– CH2-COO- Glycine(gly) N and O

Ambident ligand: Some monodentate ligands contain more than one donor
atom and can attach themselves to the central metal atom through any of its
donor atoms.
Examples:
Ligand Name Donor Ligand Name Donor
atom atom
Eg.1 NO2- nitro N -ONO- nitrito O
Eg.2 SCN- thiocyanato S NCS- isothiocyanato N

Chelating ligands and chelates:

The ligands containing two or more donor atoms are usually referred to as
polydentate ligands.
When a polydentate ligand attaches itself to a central ion through two or
more donor atoms in such a way that it forms a five or six membered ring with
the central ion, the ligand is called chelating ligand and the ring thus formed is
called a chelate
Chelating ligands stabilise a complex: Chelating ligand can form a ring with
central metal. Therefore it have ability to regulate electron with in ring.
Because of it there is more force of attraction between central metal ion
chelating agent, therefore more stable.
Central metal atom Complex cation Complex anion
Ag Silver Argentate
Fe Iron Ferrate
Cu Copper Cuperate
Au Gold Aurate
Pb Lead Plumbate
Sn Tin Stannate