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CAIE A-Level Chemistry 28.4.1 Types of Stereoisomerism in Complexes

Practise recognising and drawing geometrical and optical isomers of square-planar and octahedral complexes.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Chemistry 9701
Level
A2

Exam points

  • place identical ligands adjacent in a cis isomer and opposite in a trans isomer without changing geometry
  • draw the two non-superimposable mirror images of an octahedral complex containing bidentate ligands
  • recognise that an octahedral complex such as [M(en)2(H2O)2] can show both cis/trans and optical isomerism

28.4.1—Types of stereoisomerism shown by complexes question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

Titanium is a transition element in Period 4. It is commonly found as TiO2\mathrm{TiO}_{2} in minerals.

Some reactions of TiO2\mathrm{TiO}_{2} are shown in Fig. 3.1.

The anion, acac −^{-}, is a bidentate ligand.

Fig. 3.1

Fig. 3.1

Ti(acac)2Cl2\mathrm{Ti}(\mathrm{acac})_{2} \mathrm{C} l_{2} shows both optical and geometrical (cis/trans) isomerism.
Ti(acac)2Cl2\mathrm{Ti}(\mathrm{acac})_{2} \mathrm{C} l_{2} exists as three stereoisomers.
The structure of one stereoisomer of Ti(acac)2Cl2\mathrm{Ti}(\mathrm{acac})_{2} \mathrm{Cl}_{2} is shown in Fig. 3.2.

Fig. 3.2

Fig. 3.2

Complete the structures of the other two stereoisomers of Ti(acac)2Cl2\mathrm{Ti}(\mathrm{acac})_{2} \mathrm{C} l_{2}.

Figure for Question 28.4.1—Types of stereoisomerism shown by complexes question 1 — CAIE A-Level Chemistry A2
Figure for Question 28.4.1—Types of stereoisomerism shown by complexes question 1 — CAIE A-Level Chemistry A2
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