Trick to find number of Geometrical and optical isomers/stereoisomerism/coordination compounds. Video Lecture - JEE

Ans. To determine the number of geometrical isomers in a coordination compound, one must first identify the ligands and the central metal ion. Then, by considering the different possible arrangements of the ligands around the metal ion, the number of geometrical isomers can be determined. To determine the number of optical isomers, one must consider the presence of chiral ligands. If the coordination compound contains chiral ligands, it is possible to have optical isomers. The number of optical isomers can be calculated using the formula 2^n, where n is the number of chiral centers in the compound.

Ans. Stereoisomerism is a type of isomerism in which the connectivity of atoms remains the same but the spatial arrangement of atoms in the molecule is different. In coordination compounds, stereoisomerism arises due to the presence of ligands that can have different spatial arrangements around the central metal ion. There are two types of stereoisomerism in coordination compounds: geometrical isomerism and optical isomerism. Geometrical isomerism is observed when the ligands can be arranged in different geometric patterns around the metal ion. Optical isomerism, on the other hand, occurs when the compound contains chiral ligands, resulting in non-superimposable mirror images.

Ans. To identify the presence of geometrical isomers in a coordination compound, one must first determine if the ligands in the compound are capable of forming geometrical isomers. For this, the ligands must be capable of occupying different positions relative to each other around the central metal ion. Once the ligands are identified, one can determine the number of possible arrangements by considering the different ways the ligands can be arranged. If there are two different arrangements possible, the compound exhibits geometrical isomerism.

Ans. Geometrical isomerism and optical isomerism are both types of stereoisomerism but differ in their underlying cause and characteristics. Geometrical isomerism arises when the ligands in a coordination compound can be arranged in different geometric patterns around the central metal ion. This is due to the presence of ligands with different substituents or geometric constraints. Geometrical isomers have different physical properties, such as different melting points and dipole moments, but they can be interconverted through rotation around a bond. On the other hand, optical isomerism occurs when the compound contains chiral ligands, resulting in non-superimposable mirror images. Optical isomers, also known as enantiomers, have identical physical properties except for their interaction with polarized light. They rotate the plane of polarized light in opposite directions and cannot be interconverted without breaking a covalent bond.

Ans. To determine the number of optical isomers in a coordination compound, one must identify the presence of chiral ligands. Chiral ligands are molecules that are not superimposable on their mirror images. Once the chiral ligands are identified, one can count the number of chiral centers in the compound. A chiral center is an atom bonded to four different groups. The number of optical isomers can then be calculated using the formula 2^n, where n is the number of chiral centers in the compound. Each chiral center can exist in two different configurations, resulting in a total of 2^n optical isomers.