Ionic compounds coordination numbers

Crystal Structure and Ionic Radii. Crystal structure data have provided the basis for the ionic radii (coordination number — C-N — 6). For both M3+ and M4 10ns there is an actinide contraction, analogous to the lanthanide contraction, with increasing positive charge on the nucleus. As a consequence of the ionic character of most actinide compounds and of the similarity of the ionic radii for a given oxidation state, analogous compounds are generally isostmctural. 

In Fig. 3 are shown some ionic radii for M +, and M5+ oxidation states. Ionic radii vary, depending on choice of counter ion radius, model compounds, coordination number, etc. For a recent review see Shannon... 

The melting and boiling points of the aluminium halides, in contrast to the boron compounds, are irregular. It might reasonably be expected that aluminium, being a more metallic element than boron, would form an ionic fluoride and indeed the fact that it remains solid until 1564 K. when it sublimes, would tend to confirm this, although it should not be concluded that the fluoride is, therefore, wholly ionic. The crystal structure is such that each aluminium has a coordination number of six, being surrounded by six fluoride ions. 

The formulated principals correlating crystal structure features with the X Nb(Ta) ratio do not take into account the impact of the second cation. Nevertheless, substitution of a second cation in compounds of similar types can change the character of the bonds within complex ions. Specifically, the decrease in the ionic radius of the second (outer-sphere) cation leads not only to a decrease in its coordination number but also to a decrease in the ionic bond component of the complex [277]. 

The hydrated ion [Cu(H20)6]2+ is an example of a complex, a species consisting of a central metal atom or ion to which a number of molecules or ions are attached by coordinate covalent bonds. A coordination compound is an electrically neutral compound in which at least one of the ions present is a complex. However, the terms coordination compound (the overall neutral compound) and complex (one or more of the ions or neutral species present in the compound) are often used interchangeably. Coordination compounds include complexes in which the central metal atom is electrically neutral, such as Ni(CO)4, and ionic compounds, such as K4[Fe(CN)6]. 

During the investigation of the structure of brookite, the orthorhombic form of titanium dioxide, another method of predicting a possible structure for ionic compounds was developed. This method, which is described in detail in Section III of this paper, depends on the assumption of a coordination structure. It leads to a number of possible simple structures, for each of which the size of the unit of structure, the space-group symmetry, and the positions of all ions are fixed. In some cases, but not all, these structures correspond to closepacking of the large ions when they do, the method further indicates... 

The dominant features which control the stoichiometry of transition-metal complexes relate to the relative sizes of the metal ions and the ligands, rather than the niceties of electronic configuration. You will recall that the structures of simple ionic solids may be predicted with reasonable accuracy on the basis of radius-ratio rules in which the relative ionic sizes of the cations and anions in the lattice determine the structure adopted. Similar effects are important in determining coordination numbers in transition-metal compounds. In short, it is possible to pack more small ligands than large ligands about a metal ion of a given size. 

Several additional, more complicated structure types are known for ionic compounds. For example, according to the radius ratio, one could expect the rutile type for strontium iodide (rSr2+ /i = 0.54). In fact, the structure consists of Sr2+ ions with a coordination number of 7 and anions having two different coordination numbers, 3 and 4. 

The so-called radius ratio principle establishes that, for a cation/anion radius ratio lower than 0.414, the coordination of the complex is 4. The coordination numbers rise to 6 for ratios between 0.414 and 0.732 and to 8 for ratios higher than 0.732. Actually the various compounds conform to this principle only qualitatively. Tossell (1980) has shown that, if Ahrens s ionic radii are adopted, only 60% of compounds conform to the radius ratio principle. ... 

A comparison of the metal-carbon bond lengths, ionic radii and formal coordination numbers of these compounds is summarized in Table 2. The formalism used in estabhshing coordination number assumes that a -cyclooctatetraene ligand is a 5 electron-pair donor. The ionic radii have been adjusted for both the charge of the central metal and coordination number (50). When the ionic radius for a given coordination number is not available, it has been estimated by interpolation from radii of other coordination numbers. It will be seen that the differ-... 

Compound Ref. Average M—C Bond Length (A) Formal Metal ) Ion Coordination Number Metal lonict) Radius (A) Efiective COT Ionic Radius (A)... 

The Lu—C cr-bonding distances range from 2.425(15) to 2.501(17) A. These distances are approximately 0.2 A shorter than the corresponding distance for a pentahapto cyclopentadienide lutetium bond as predicted from ionic radii. Coordination about the lutetium atom is a slightly distorted tetrahedron. The formal coordination number of four is extremely low for the lanthanides. The only other lanthanide complex with such a low coordination number is the 3-coordinate compound [Lu N(SiMes)2 3] 131). In both cases, the low coordination number is stabilized by the use of bulky hgands. 

The oxides of low-valency metals (i.e., with cations in oxidation number < -i-4) are typically ionic compounds [76]. They are most frequently easily obtained in crystalline forms. In ionic metal oxides the coordination of the cations (four to eight) is generally higher than their valency (one to four) and this also occurs for the coordination of 0 oxide ions (three to six). The bulk basic nature of the ionic metal oxides is associated with the strong polarization of the metal-oxygen bond, to its tendency to be dissociated by water and to the basic nature of the products of their reaction with water (i.e., the metal hydroxides) [67]. 

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