School Science Lessons
Ligands
2012-02-06 SP
Please send comments to: J.Elfick@uq.edu.au

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Ligands
Ligands are signal triggering molecules that can bind  to form a complex. A ligand can be an ion or an atom that can form a coordination complex with a central atom, usually a metal.
1,1-Bis(diphenylphosphino)methane, (dppm)
1,10-Phenanthroline, (phen), bidentate
1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, (dppe), bidentate
2,2'-Bipyridine, (bipy), bidentate
2,2',5',2-Terpyridine, (terpy), tridentate
2,2,2-crypt hexadentate, (for alkali earth metal cations)
Acetonitrile, (acetonitrilo), CH₃CN, monodentate
Acetonitrile, (MeCN), monodentate
Acetylacetonate, (Acac), CH₃-C(O)-CH-C(O)-CH₃, bidentate
Ammonia, (NH₃), monodentate
Azide, (azido), N-N₂-, monodentate
Benzene, C₆H₆
Bromide, (bromo), Br-, monodentate
Carbon monoxide, (carbonyl, CO), monodentate
Chloride, (chloro), Cl-, monodentate
Corroles, (aromatic organic corrin ring as in vitamin B12), C₁₉H₂₂N₄, tetradentate
Crown ether, (18-crown-6), C₁₂H₂₄O₆, (for alkali earth metal cations)
Cyanide, (cyano), CN-, monodentate
Cyclopentadienyl groups, (Cp⁻). [C₅H₅]-
Diethylenetriamine, (dien), C₄H₁₃N₃, tridentate
Dimethylglyoximate, (dmgH-)
Ethylenediamine, (en), bidentate
Ethylenediaminetetraacetate, (EDTA), hexadentate
Ethylenediaminetriacetate, (ED3A), pentadentate
Fluoride, (fluorido), F-, monodentate
Glycinate, (Gly), amino acid, NH₂CH₂COOH, bidentate
Heme A, (cytochrome oxidase ligand complex), C₄₉H₅₆O₆N₄Fe, tetradentate
Hydroxide, (hydroxo), O-H-, monodentate
Iodide, (iodo), I-, monodentate
Isothiocyanate, (isothiocyanato), N=C=S-, monodentate
Nitrate, (nitroso), O-NO2-, monodentate
Nitrite, (nitrito), O-N-O-, monodentate
Nitrite, (nitro), N-O2-, monodentate
Nitrosyl, (NO+), cationic
Nitrilotriacetic acid, (NTA), C₆H₉NO₆, tetradentate
Oxalate, (oxalato), [O-C(=O)-C(=O)-O]₂-, bidentate
Pyrazine, (1,4-diazine), N₂C₄H₄
Pyridine, (pyridino), C₅H₅N, monodentate
Scorpionate ligands, (Tp ligands), tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborates, tridentate
Sulfide, (thio), S₂-, monodentate or bidentate
Sulfite, monodentate
Terpyridine, C₁₅H₁₁N₃, tridentate
Thiocyanate, (thiocyanato), S-CN-, monodentate
Thiocyanate, monodentate
Tri(o-tolyl)phosphine, P(o-tolyl)₃, monodentate
Triazacyclononane, (tacn), (C₂H₄)₃(NR)₃, tridentate
Tricyclohexylphosphine, (C₆H₁₁), monodentate
Triethylenetetramine, (trien), tetradentate
Trimethylphosphine, (PMe₃), monodentate
Triphenylphosphine, (PPh₃), monodentate
Tris(2-diphenylphosphineethyl)amine, (np₃), tetradentate
Tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, (tren), (NH₂CH₂CH₂)₃N, tetradentate
Tropylium, C₇H₇+, cationic
Water, (aqua), H-O-H, monodentate

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