Ligands play a crucial role in organometallic chemistry, influencing the stability, reactivity, and electronic properties of metal complexes. By donating or withdrawing electrons to/from the metal center, ligands help shape the overall electronic configuration and geometry of the complex. Understanding the different types of ligands, their electron contributions, and coordination modes is fundamental for predicting the behavior of organometallic compounds in catalysis, materials science, and synthetic chemistry.
We will explore a variety of ligand types commonly encountered in organometallic chemistry, ranging from simple monodentate ligands like carbonyl (CO) and halides to more complex polydentate ligands such as ethylenediamine (en) and cyclopentadienyl (Cp). We also cover π-ligands like benzene and alkenes, which coordinate through their delocalized π-electrons, and hydride and alkyl ligands, which are key players in catalytic processes.
Monodentate ligand
Bidentate ligand
Polydentate ligands - tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate, hexadentate etc.