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Ligands definitions

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  • Ligand
    Lewis base donating lone pairs to a metal cation, forming a coordinate bond in a complex ion.
  • Lewis Base
    Species with a lone pair available for donation to a Lewis acid, enabling complex ion formation.
  • Lewis Acid
    Species, often a metal cation, accepting electron pairs from ligands to form coordinate bonds.
  • Monodentate Ligand
    Molecule or ion donating a single lone pair from one atom to a metal center in a complex.
  • Bidentate Ligand
    Molecule or ion donating two lone pairs from different atoms, often forming a ring with the metal.
  • Chelating Agent
    Ligand capable of forming multiple bonds to a single metal ion, increasing complex stability.
  • L Ligand
    Neutral molecule acting as a ligand, donating lone pairs without carrying a charge.
  • X Ligand
    Negatively charged ligand donating lone pairs, contributing to the overall charge of the complex.
  • Complex Ion
    Structure formed when ligands coordinate to a central metal cation via lone pair donation.
  • Donor Atom
    Specific atom within a ligand responsible for providing a lone pair to the metal center.
  • Pi Bond
    Bond formed by sideways overlap of p orbitals, sometimes serving as a source of electron donation in ligands.
  • Abbreviation
    Shortened notation for ligands, such as CO for carbon monoxide or EN for ethylenediamine.
  • Resonance
    Delocalization of electrons within a ligand, allowing multiple atoms or bonds to serve as electron donors.
  • Transition Metal
    Central metal ion in a complex, typically accepting electron pairs from surrounding ligands.
  • Cyclic Complex
    Ring structure formed when a bidentate ligand coordinates to a metal at two sites simultaneously.