Bidentate Ligands
- Bidentate ligands can each form two dative bonds to the central metal ion
- This is because each ligand contains two atoms with lone pairs of electrons
- Examples of bidentate ligands are:
- 1,2-diaminoethane (H2NCH2CH2NH2) which is also written as ‘en’
- Ethanedioate ion (C2O42- ) which is sometimes written as ‘ox’
Examples of complexes with bidentate ligands
Multidentate Ligands
- Some ligands contain more than two atoms with lone pairs of electrons
- These ligands can form more than two dative bonds to the and are said to be multidentate ligands
- An example of a multidentate ligand is EDTA4-, which is a hexadentate ligand as it forms 6 dative covalent bonds to the central metal ion
Example of a polydentate ligand complex