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Inorganic Chemistry Question, please only answer if you can answer it all and co

ID: 478590 • Letter: I

Question

Inorganic Chemistry Question, please only answer if you can answer it all and correctly.

3. A student synthesized one of the following isomers: [Co(NH3)5NO2]Cl2 or [Co(NH3)5ONO]Cl2

a. Why are these compounds examples of linkage isomers?

b. Besides NO2-, give another example of an ambidentate ligand

c. The only difference between the compounds you synthesized in parts (A) and (B)
is the substitution of a chloro ligand for a nitro/nitrito ligand. Chemically, why does this result in a drastic color change between the two substances?

4. What purpose does the 30 percent H2O2 serve in the synthesis of [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2?

Explanation / Answer

a.

They are linkage isomers, because of same configuration but different connectivity of metal to ligand.

[Co(NH3)5ONO]Cl2 is nitritopentaamminecobalt(III) having M-O-N-O (metal Co is bonded to O-atom directly) bonding structure and [Co(NH3)5NO2]Cl2 is nitropentaamminecobalt(III) chloride having M-NO2 (metal Co is bonded to N-atom directly) bonding.

b.

Ambidentate ligands means, which can bonded to metal in two places. Other examples are  CN-, SCN- etc.

c.

[Co(NH3)5NO2]Cl2 is yellow and stable in acids, whereas [Co(NH3)5ONO]Cl2 is red and decomposes in acids.

d.

[Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2 is  chloropentaamminecobalt(III) chloride

h2O2 is used as an oxidizing agent.

Co2+ + NH4 + + 1/2H202 [Co(NH3)5H20]3+ [Co(NH3)5H20]3+ + 3Cl- [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2 + H2.