Naming of coordination compounds
• Rule-1
Name the +ve part first (cation) and then the negative part (anion).
• Rule-2
While naming co-ordination entity - Name the ligand first, then metal.
- While naming ligands should follow alphabetical order
• Rule-3
For anionic ligands ends in ‘e’ , replace ‘e’ with ’o’.
ION NAME IN COORDINATION
Cl- Chloride Chlorido
Br- Bromide Bromido
I- Iodide Iodido
OH- Hydroxide Hydroxido
CN- Cyanide Cyanido
NC- Isocyanide Isocyanido
SO42- Sulphate Sulphato
C2O42- Oxalate Oxalato
CO32- Carbonate Carbonato
SCN - Thiocynate Thiocynato
NCN - Isothiocynate Isothiocynato
-
NO2 Nitrite
Nitrito-O
- For neutral molecules (neutral ligands), their name itself is used.
CO Carbonyl
en
Ethane-1,2-diamine
NO nitrosyl
Py pyridine
- Special names
H2O aqua
NH3 Ammine
- For more than one ligands the prefixes di, tri, tetra are used.
- If the ligand having numbers in their IUPAC like ; ethane-1,2-diamine
Use prefixes bis (for two ligands )
tris (for three ligands )
tetrakis (for four ligands ) instead of di, tri, tetra .
for eg: bis(ethane-1,2-diamine) -(Name of such ligands should be write in parentheses )
Rule-4 (Naming of metals)
- Oxidation state of a metal is indicated by roman letters in simple bracket.
i) If the complex part is +ve.
The central atom is named as the same element.
ii) If the complex part is –ve
Name of the metal should ends with suffix - ate
Zn Zinc Zincate
Co Cobalt Cobaltate
Al Aluminium Aluminate
Pt Platinum Platinate
Cr Chromium Chromate
Cu Copper Cuprate
Mn Manganese Manganate
Fe Iron Ferrate
Ag Silver Argentate
Sn tin Stannate
Au Gold aurate
Pb Lead plumbate
