Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Chemistry

Chapter

Inorganic: Coordination Compounds

Question:

Read the Passage carefully and answer the questions.

When a ligand is bound to a metal ion through a single donor atom, it is said to be a unidentate ligand but when it bind through two donor atoms, then it is said to be didentate ligand and when several donor atoms are present in a single ligand, it is said to be a polydentate ligand. When a di- or polydentate ligand uses its two or more donor atoms simultaneously to bind a single metal ion, it is said to be a chelate ligand. The number of such ligating groups is called the denticity of the ligand. ligand which has two different donor atoms and either of the two ligetes in the complex is called ambidentate ligands. The number of ligand donor atoms to which the metal is directly bonded, is called coordination number of the metal ion in the complex. Complexes in which a metal is bound to only one kind of donor groups are known as homoleptic and in which a metal is bound to more than one kind of donor groups are known as heteroleptic complexes.

Which of the following is a chelate complex?

Options:

$[Co(en)_3]Cl_3$

$[Co(NH_3)_5(NO_2)](NO_3)_2$

$[Pt(NH_3)(H_2O)Cl_2]$

$[Fe(NH_3)_2(CN)_4]Cl$

Correct Answer:

$[Co(en)_3]Cl_3$

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (1) → $[Co(en)_3]Cl_3$

A chelate complex contains a multidentate ligand that binds to the metal through more than one donor atom forming a ring structure.

  • $[Co(en)_3]Cl_3$: This is a chelate complex. The ligand is ethylenediamine (en), which is a bidentate ligand. Each 'en' molecule has two nitrogen donor atoms that "grasp" the cobalt ion like a claw (from the Greek chela), forming a stable five-membered ring. 3+ showing chelate rings]
  • $[Co(NH_3)_5(NO_2)](NO_3)_2$: This is a non-chelate complex. Both $NH_3$ (ammine) and $NO_2^-$ (nitro) are unidentate ligands, meaning they bond through only one donor atom and cannot form ring structures.
  • $[Pt(NH_3)(H_2O)Cl_2]$: This is a non-chelate complex. All the ligands present—$NH_3$, $H_2O$, and $Cl^-$—are unidentate. No ring structure is formed.
  • $[Fe(NH_3)_2(CN)4]Cl$: This is a non-chelate complex. Both $NH_3$ and $CN^-$ are unidentate ligands.