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Inorganic & Coordination Chemistry

Isomerism in Coordination Compounds

The existence of complexes with the same formula but different structures or spatial arrangements.

Unit Dimensionless

In depth

Structural isomerism covers ionisation, hydrate, linkage and coordination types, all involving differences in which groups are bonded where. Stereoisomerism covers geometrical and optical types, where connectivity is the same but the three-dimensional arrangement differs.

Examples in the real world

Werner's identification of two isomers of [Co(NH₃)₄Cl₂]⁺, one violet and one green.