Answer to Question #96030 in Inorganic Chemistry for Nilajit

Question

What are coordination compounds

Answer 1

A coordination compound is the product of a Lewis acid-base reaction in which neutral molecules or anions (called ligands) bond to a central metal atom (or ion) by coordinate covalent bonds.

1. Ligands are Lewis bases - they contain at least one pair of electrons to donate to a metal atom/ion. Ligands are also called complexing agents
2. Metal atoms/ions are Lewis acids - they can accept pairs of electrons from Lewis bases.

eg. [Ni(NH₃)₆]²⁺ , [Zn(CN)₄]^2-