Which of the following species is not expected to be a ligand?

Question

Which of the following species is not expected to be a ligand? (A) NO (B) NH+4 (C) NH2CH2CH2NH2 (D) CO

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

Complexes are formed when ligands donate a pair of electrons to metals. In ammonia, N atom has one lone pair of electrons. Nitrogen donates this lone pair of electrons to proton to form ammonium ion. So N H 4+ ion does not have a lone pair of electrons which it can donate to central metal ion. Hence it cannot behave as a ligand.

Q. Which of the following species is not expected to be a ligand?

$NO$

$N H_{4}^{+}$

$N H_{2} C H_{2} C H_{2} N H_{2}$

$CO$

Q. Which of the following species is not expected to be a ligand?

NO

NH4+​

NH2​CH2​CH2​NH2​

CO

$NO$

$N H_{4}^{+}$

$N H_{2} C H_{2} C H_{2} N H_{2}$

$CO$