1st Semester of A.Y.

2022-2023

PHARM 121:

Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry with

Qualitative Analysis
Title
Chapter 5: Naming of Inorganic Coordination Compounds and Complex Ions
Introduction
Coordination compounds, or a complex, is a type of compound in which molecules or
ions for coordinate bonds with a metal atom or ion. These compounds consist of a ligand
(coordinating specie) and a central metal atom or ion.
The formation of such coordination complexes is typical of transition metals. Often, the
complexes contain unpaired electrons and are paramagnetic and colored. This chapter will
further introduce you to the fundamentals of coordination compounds, especially on naming
these compounds.
Presentation of Outcomes
At the end of the chapter, students must be able to:
1. Demonstrate effectively how to name and write formulas of inorganic coordination
compounds.
Central Activities
LECTURE
REVIEW:
• Coordinate covalent bond à formed between atom or an ion that has an unshared
pair of electrons (donor atom) and an atom or ion that has room for an electron pair
(acceptor atom); these atoms can be both nonmetals or one of them can be a metal
• Complex à formed between a metal atom or ion (acceptor) that accepts 1 or more
electron pairs and an ion or neutral molecule that donate electron pair
• Ligand à molecule or ion that contains the donor atom; it can be a part of a molecule,
an ion, or part of an ion
• Complexes can either be positive or negatively charged (aka: complex ions) and can
also be neutral
o The charge of a complex ion is the sum of the charges of the constituent parts
o Ex: [PtCl4]2-, what is the charge of Pt?
§ Cl charge is -1, multiply by 4 = -4
§ The overall charge of the ion is -2, so x + (-4) = -2
§ X = +2, therefore, Pt has a charge of +2
• Coordination compound à the neutral compound formed between a complex ion and
other ions or molecules
• Coordination number à the number of nonmetal atoms surrounding the central metal
atom or ion in a complex; most common coordination number: 6 and 4

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 1st Semester of A.Y. 2022-2023

COMMON LIGANDS
F- Fluoro-
Cl- Chloro-
Br- Bromo-
I- Iodo-
CN- Cyano-
NCS- Thiocyanato-
ONO- Nitrito-
NO2- Nitro-
OH- Hydroxo-
O2- Oxo-
CO32- Carbonato-
C2O42- Oxalato-
SO42- Sulfato-
NH3 Ammine-
H2O Aquo- (or aqua-)
CO Carbonyl-
NO Nitrosyl-

NOMENCLATURE:
For Complex Ions:
1. Ligands are named first with prefixes to indicate number of each kind of ligand present
2. Negative ligands are named first, with the ending -o, neutral ones second, and positive
ones last (within each group, the ligand names are given in alphabetical order)
3. The name of the central metal atom followed by its oxidation state in parenthesis is given
after the ligand names (the ligand name and metal name is not separated by space)
4. When a complex ion is negative, the name of the central metal atom is given the ending
“-ate”
a. For some elements, the ion name is based on the Latin name from which the
symbol is derived (ex: ferrate for iron; plumbate for lead)
b. When naming only the ion, the word “ion” is always used in the name

Examples:
a. [Ag(NH3)2]2+ à diamminesilver (I) ion
b. [Ni(NH3)4]2+ à tetraamminenickel (II) ion
c. [Pt(Cl6)]2- à hexachloroplatinate (IV) ion
d. [Ni(CO)4] à tetracarbonylnickel (0) or aka: ________________

For Coordination compounds:

1. The name of the cation is given first as usual, followed by the name of the anion.

Examples:
a. K+[Pt(NH3)Cl5]- à potassium pentachloroammineplatinate (IV)
b. [Co(NH3)4SO4]+NO3- à ________________________________?

NOTE: although most complexes are named according to the outlined nomenclature above,
some common, or trivial, names are still in use.
• [Fe(CN)6]4- à ferrocyanide (Fe2+)
• [Fe(CN)6]3- à ferricyanide (Fe3+)

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 1st Semester of A.Y. 2022-2023

_ch20_703-727.indd Page 708 10/5/09 1:27:10 PM user-s180 /Volumes/MHDQ-New/MHDQ144/MHDQ144-20

CHELATION
• From Greek kela = crab’s claw
• A phenomenon of ring formation by a ligand in a complex
• It greatly increases the stability of the complex
708 CHAPTER 20 The Chemistry of Coordination Compounds
• Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) – one of the most powerful chelating agent; it
can chelate calcium in the blood; used in heavy metal toxicity (lead toxicity)
Table 20.2 Some Common Ligands
Name Structure
Monodentate ligands
Ammonia O
HONOH
A
H
Carbon monoxide SCqOS

Chloride ion O
SClS
Q
!

Cyanide ion [SCqNS]!

Thiocyanate ion O
[SSOCqNS
Q ]!

Water
S
O
S

D G
H H
Bidentate ligands

Ethylenediamine H2O O 2
NOCH2OCH2ONH
2!
O O
S

M J
S

Oxalate ion COC

D G
O O
S
SS

S
S

Polydentate ligand
SOS SOS 4!
B B
C C
D G D G
Ethylenediaminetetraacetate O CH2 CH
S

O
S

G D 2
S S

S
S

ion (EDTA) O O
NOCH 2OCH 2ON
D G
O CH 2 CH2 O
S

M D G J
S

C C
A A
SOS
Q SOS
Q

Assessment (Post-Assessment)
Online Exam 5
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least one unshared pair of valence electrons, as these examples show:
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Activities Summary: D G D A G
H H H H H
1. Online Exam
2. Problem-based Learning
Therefore, ligands play theTasks
role of/ Lewis
Seatworks
bases. On the other hand, a transition metal
Course Facilitators
atom (in either its neutral or positively charged state) acts as a Lewis acid, accepting
REYNALDO(and sharing) pairs
B. COLOMA JR.,ofRPh.
electrons from the Lewis bases. Thus, the metal-ligand bonds
are usually coordinate covalent bonds (see Section 9.9).
Instructor I The atom in a ligand that is bound directly to the metal atom is known as the
Mobile number: +63 915
donor atom. For 434 5378nitrogen is the donor atom in the [Cu(NH3)4]21 complex
example,
e-mail
In a crystal lattice the coordination Address:
num- ion. Therbcoloma@mmsu.edu.ph
coordination number in coordination compounds is defined as the number
ber of an atom (or ion) is defined as the
number of atoms (or ions) surrounding
of donor atoms surrounding the central metal atom in a complex ion. For example,
the atom (or ion). the coordination number of Ag1 in [Ag(NH3)2]1 is 2, that of Cu21 in [Cu(NH3)4]21 3
1st Semester of A.Y. 2022-2023