Bidentate ligands restricting function

The oxyanions as ligands may be classified according to (a) the structural type of the oxyanion (X02, X03, X04 or X06) (b) the coordination number of the oxyanion (1-18), i.e. the number of metal atoms to which a single oxyanion may be coordinated (c) the mode of coordination of the oxyanion, i.e. monodentate, bidentate, tridentate, etc. and (d) the number of oxyanions per metal atom, the stoichiometry p, from one to six, i.e. [M(XO ) ]. Table 1 lists the oxyanions that will be considered in this section according to their structural types, with their approximate stereochemistry and point group symmetry. The carbon-containing oxyanions will be described in Chapter 15.6, and the cyanates in Chapter 13.5, For reasons of space this review will be primarily restricted to mononuclear oxyanions. Figures 2-5 illustrate the mode of coordination of the oxyanions as a function of their coordination number 1-18. 

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