Isomers are compounds with the same chemical formula but different atom arrangements. Stereoisomers have the same chemical bonds but differ in spatial arrangement, while structural isomers have different bonds.
What defines isomers, and what distinguishes stereoisomers from structural isomers in coordination compounds?
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Isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms. Structural isomers have different bonding patterns and connectivity, while stereoisomers have the same connectivity but differ in spatial arrangement. In coordination compounds, structural isomers exhibit distinct ligand arrangements around the central metal. Stereoisomers include geometrical isomers, where ligands occupy different positions in space, and optical isomers, enantiomers that are mirror images but not superimposable. The key distinction lies in the spatial arrangement of ligands: structural isomers have different connectivity, while stereoisomers maintain the same connectivity but differ in spatial orientation.