Homoleptic complexes, like [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺, involve a metal bound to only one kind of donor group. Heteroleptic complexes, such as [Co(NH₃)₄Cl₂]⁺, feature a metal bound to more than one kind of donor group.
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Homoleptic complexes, like [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺, involve a metal bound to only one kind of donor group. Heteroleptic complexes, such as [Co(NH₃)₄Cl₂]⁺, feature a metal bound to more than one kind of donor group.
Homoleptic complexes consist of a metal ion coordinated exclusively with one type of ligand. An example is [Ni(NH₃)₆]²⁺, where nickel is surrounded by six ammonia ligands.
Heteroleptic complexes involve a metal ion coordinated with different types of ligands. An example is [Co(NH₃)₄Cl₂], where cobalt is coordinated with both ammonia and chloride ligands. The presence of multiple ligands imparts diverse chemical and physical properties to heteroleptic complexes. The distinction between homoleptic and heteroleptic complexes is based on the uniformity or diversity of ligands coordinated to the central metal ion.