Edexcel IAL Chemistry A2 17.15 square planar complexes and cis-platin

Pearson Edexcel IAL Chemistry syllabusChemistry YCH11First assessment 2019

For Pt(NH3)2Cl2, keep the geometry square planar: cis ligands sit next to each other, while trans ligands are opposite and bind DNA differently.

How this is tested

Identify Pt(NH3)2Cl2 as square planar while [CuCl4]2- is tetrahedral in shape.
Draw cis-platin and trans-platin with adjacent or opposite chloride ligands.
Explain why trans-platin cannot bind two DNA bases in the same way as cis-platin.