Edexcel IAL Chemistry A2 17.17 haemoglobin and ligand exchange
Edexcel IAL Chemistry A2 17.17 haemoglobin and ligand exchange
Focus on the Fe2+ complex: oxygen binds reversibly, but carbon monoxide replaces oxygen as a ligand and forms stronger dative bonding in carboxyhaemoglobin.
How this is tested
- Identify carbon monoxide binding to oxyhaemoglobin as ligand exchange.
- Explain toxicity through CO replacing oxygen and binding more strongly to Fe2+.
- State that oxygen binds reversibly to the iron(II) ion in haemoglobin.