What are the different types of optical isomers seen in coordination compounds? How do you draw optical isomers of coordination compounds?

Question

Ryan Andrews · Accepted Answer

Here's what I get.

Monodentate ligands

Complexes with monodentate ligands are classified as C (clockwise) or A (anticlockwise).

An example is the hypothetical complex ion

(From Department of Chemistry, UWI, Mona)

Our hypothetical complex was the C isomer.

Δ and Λ isomers

Optically active bis- and tris-bidentate complexes are said to have a screw chirality.

Christian Anderson · Answer

undefined The different types of optical isomers in coordination compounds are enantiomers and diastereomers. Enantiomers are non-superimposable mirror images of each other, while diastereomers are stereoisomers that are not mirror images of each other. To draw optical isomers of coordination compounds, you need to first determine the coordination number, geometry, and ligands of the central metal atom. Then, you can arrange the ligands in different spatial arrangements to generate the mirror image structures, ensuring that they are non-superimposable.