Name: Nomenclature of Coordination Compounds - I
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 7 min 4 s
Description: All the chemical compounds are assigned a name, which is done according to a specific rule. How are coordination compounds named? Let’s watch the video to fi...

Question

What are coordination isomers and optical isomers? Explain with at least one example.

Accepted Answer

1. Coordination isomerism:
This type of isomerism arises when the ligands are interchanged between cationic and anionic entities of different metal ions present in the complex. For example
$[C o {(N H_{3})}_{6}] [C r {(C N)}_{6}]$ and $[C r {(N H_{3})}_{6}] [C o {(C N)}_{6}]$
These isomers are expected to have significant differences in their physical and chemical properties.

2. Optical isomerism: A Coordination compound that can rotate the plane of polarized light is said to be optically active. When the coordination compounds have the same formula but differ in their ability to rotate directions of the plane of polarized light are said to exhibit optical isomerism, and the molecules are optical isomers. The optical isomers are a pair of molecules that are non-super impossible mirror images of each other. This is due to the absence of elements of symmetry in the complex.
This type of isomerism arises in chiral molecules; Isomers are mirror images of each other and are non-superimposable.

What are coordination isomers and optical isomers? Explain with at least one example.

Important Questions on Coordination Compounds

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