Coordination entities, within square brackets, are species formed by the central metal ion and its ligands. Counter ions, outside the brackets, balance the charge of the complex.
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Coordination entities, within square brackets, are species formed by the central metal ion and its ligands. Counter ions, outside the brackets, balance the charge of the complex.
In coordination compounds, a coordination entity refers to the central metal atom or ion bonded to a fixed number of ions or molecules, known as ligands. Examples include [CoCl₃(NH₃)₃]²⁺ or [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻. The central atom/ion in a coordination entity, to which ligands are attached, is termed the central atom or ion. Counter ions, on the other hand, are charged ions or groups outside the square brackets that balance the charge of the coordination entity. For instance, in [Cu(NH₃)₄]²⁺, Cu(NH₃)₄ is the coordination entity, and the counter ion is the 2⁻ charge. Both components collectively constitute the coordination compound.