Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Can someone explain how this metal complex is formed?
CoCl2 + water = [Co(H20)6]^2+ + 2Cl^-
From what I understand Co in this reaction has a charge of +2 since it has bonded with 2 Cl ions which have a -1 charge. Then we have an empty 4s orbital, 7 electrons in the 3d orbital and an empty 4p orbital. This gives us a total of 11 electrons that can occupy these orbitals and so a maximum of 5 electron pairs right? But according to the equation 6 electron pairs have been formed. How is this possible?
I'm confused so if anyone who knows where I am going wrong or what I have misunderstood please let me know.
Thanks
1 Answer
- Gervald FLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
The nature of the bonding between ligands (H2O) and transition metal ions (Co2+), as in this case, cannot be viewed as pure dative covalent, but rather is partial donation of ligand electron pairs and partial electrostatic attraction. There simply enough gaps for all the ligand lone pairs, as you suspect.