IUPAC Nomenclature of Coordination Compounds
Master the exact rules for naming complex ions according to the latest IUPAC guidelines. Essential for cracking direct nomenclature questions in JEE Main and Advanced.
The Core Rules
1
Order of Naming Ions
Just like simple salts (e.g., Sodium chloride), the cation is named first, followed by the anion. The space is placed only between the cation and anion.
$$\ce{K4[Fe(CN)6]}$$
Potassium hexacyanidoferrate(II)
2
Naming the Coordination Sphere
Inside the square brackets, ligands are named first in alphabetical order, followed by the name of the central metal atom/ion. Do not consider numerical prefixes (di, tri) while alphabetizing.
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)4Cl(NO2)]+}$$
Tetraamminechloridonitrito-N-cobalt(III) ion
(Ammine before Chlorido before Nitrito)
3
Names of Ligands
Anionic ligands end in -o (e.g., chlorido, cyanido, oxalato).
Neutral ligands keep their normal name, with crucial exceptions:
• $H_2O$: aqua
• $NH_3$: ammine (double 'm')
• $CO$: carbonyl
• $NO$: nitrosyl
Neutral ligands keep their normal name, with crucial exceptions:
• $H_2O$: aqua
• $NH_3$: ammine (double 'm')
• $CO$: carbonyl
• $NO$: nitrosyl
$$\ce{[Ni(CO)4]}$$
Tetracarbonylnickel(0)
4
Numerical Prefixes
Use di, tri, tetra, penta, hexa to indicate the number of simple ligands.
If the ligand name already contains a prefix (e.g., ethylenediamine) or is a complex polydentate, use bis, tris, tetrakis, and put the ligand name in parentheses.
If the ligand name already contains a prefix (e.g., ethylenediamine) or is a complex polydentate, use bis, tris, tetrakis, and put the ligand name in parentheses.
$$\ce{[Co(en)3]^3+}$$
Tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) ion
5
Ending of the Metal Name
If the complex ion is a cation or neutral, the metal keeps its normal name (e.g., Cobalt, Platinum).
If the complex ion is an anion, the metal name ends in -ate (often using Latin roots).
If the complex ion is an anion, the metal name ends in -ate (often using Latin roots).
| Metal | Anionic Name | Metal | Anionic Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fe | Ferrate | Ag | Argentate |
| Cu | Cuprate | Au | Aurate |
| Pb | Plumbate | Sn | Stannate |
6
Oxidation State & Ambidentate
The oxidation state of the metal is written in Roman numerals in parentheses immediately after the metal name (no space).
For ambidentate ligands, indicate the donor atom (e.g., thiocyanato-S vs thiocyanato-N, or nitrito-N vs nitrito-O).
For ambidentate ligands, indicate the donor atom (e.g., thiocyanato-S vs thiocyanato-N, or nitrito-N vs nitrito-O).
$$\ce{[Pd(SCN)4]^2-}$$
Tetrathiocyanato-S-palladate(II) ion
Crucial JEE Examples
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$$\ce{K4[Fe(CN)6]}$$
Potassium hexacyanidoferrate(II)
$$\ce{K3[Fe(CN)6]}$$
Potassium hexacyanidoferrate(III)
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)6]Cl3}$$
Hexaamminecobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{[Pt(NH3)2Cl(NO2)]}$$
Diamminechloridonitrito-N-platinum(II)
$$\ce{K2[PdCl4]}$$
Potassium tetrachloridopalladate(II)
$$\ce{[Ni(CO)4]}$$
Tetracarbonylnickel(0)
$$\ce{[Co(en)3]2(SO4)3}$$
Tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) sulphate
$$\ce{[Ag(NH3)2][Ag(CN)2]}$$
Diamminesilver(I) dicyanidoargentate(I)
$$\ce{Na2[Zn(OH)4]}$$
Sodium tetrahydroxidozincate(II)
$$\ce{K3[Al(C2O4)3]}$$
Potassium trioxalatoaluminate(III)
$$\ce{[Cr(H2O)4Cl2]Cl}$$
Tetraaquadichloridochromium(III) chloride
$$\ce{[Pt(NH3)6]Cl4}$$
Hexaammineplatinum(IV) chloride
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)5(CO3)]Cl}$$
Pentaamminecarbonatocobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3}$$
Iron(III) hexacyanidoferrate(II)
$$\ce{Na2[Fe(CN)5(NO)]}$$
Sodium pentacyanidonitrosylferrate(II)
$$\ce{[Pt(py)4][PtCl4]}$$
Tetrapyridineplatinum(II) tetrachloridoplatinate(II)
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)4(H2O)Cl]Cl2}$$
Tetraammineaquachloridocobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{[Cr(en)2Cl2]Cl}$$
Dichloridobis(ethylenediamine)chromium(III) chloride
$$\ce{[(NH3)5Co-OH-Co(NH3)5]^5+}$$
$\mu$-Hydroxidobis(pentaamminecobalt(III)) ion
$$\ce{K2[Ni(CN)4]}$$
Potassium tetracyanidonickelate(II)
$$\ce{[Co(en)2Cl(NO2)]Cl}$$
Chloridobis(ethylenediamine)nitrito-N-cobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{Na3[Co(NO2)6]}$$
Sodium hexanitrito-N-cobaltate(III)
$$\ce{[Pt(NH3)2Cl(NH2CH3)]Cl}$$
Diamminechlorido(methylamine)platinum(II) chloride
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)5(ONO)]Cl2}$$
Pentaamminenitrito-O-cobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{K3[Cr(C2O4)3]}$$
Potassium trioxalatochromate(III)
$$\ce{[Cu(en)2]SO4}$$
Bis(ethylenediamine)copper(II) sulphate
$$\ce{[Pt(en)2Cl2]Cl2}$$
Dichloridobis(ethylenediamine)platinum(IV) chloride
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)5(NCS)]Cl2}$$
Pentaammineisothiocyanatocobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{[Fe(H2O)6]SO4}$$
Hexaaquairon(II) sulphate
$$\ce{[Pt(NH3)2Cl2]}$$
Diamminedichloridoplatinum(II)
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)4(H2O)2]Cl3}$$
Tetraamminediaquacobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{Li[AlH4]}$$
Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate(III)
$$\ce{Na[BH4]}$$
Sodium tetrahydridoborate(III)
$$\ce{[Ni(dmg)2]}$$
Bis(dimethylglyoximato)nickel(II)
$$\ce{K2[PtCl6]}$$
Potassium hexachloridoplatinate(IV)
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)6][Cr(C2O4)3]}$$
Hexaamminecobalt(III) trioxalatochromate(III)
$$\ce{[Ag(CN)2]-}$$
Dicyanidoargentate(I) ion
$$\ce{[Fe(CO)5]}$$
Pentacarbonyliron(0)
$$\ce{[Mn2(CO)10]}$$
Decacarbonyldimanganese(0)
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)5(NO2)](NO3)2}$$
Pentaamminenitrito-N-cobalt(III) nitrate
$$\ce{[Pd(C6H5)2(dppe)]}$$
Diphenylbis(diphenylphosphinoethane)palladium(II)
$$\ce{[Cr(H2O)4Cl2]Cl.2H2O}$$
Tetraaquadichloridochromium(III) chloride dihydrate
$$\ce{[Zn(OH)4]^2-}$$
Tetrahydroxidozincate(II) ion
$$\ce{[Co(en)3]Cl3}$$
Tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) chloride
$$\ce{[Pt(NH3)2Cl(NO2)]}$$
Diamminechloridonitrito-N-platinum(II)
$$\ce{[(NH3)5Cr-OH-Cr(NH3)5]Cl5}$$
$\mu$-Hydroxidobis(pentaamminechromium(III)) chloride
$$\ce{K[PtCl3(\eta^2-C2H4)]}$$
Potassium trichlorido($\eta^2$-ethylene)platinate(II)
$$\ce{[Ru(NH3)5(N2)]Cl2}$$
Pentaamminedinitrogenruthenium(II) chloride
$$\ce{[Fe(\eta^5-C5H5)2]}$$
Bis($\eta^5$-cyclopentadienyl)iron(II) (Ferrocene)
$$\ce{[Co(NH3)4(H2O)Cl]SO4}$$
Tetraammineaquachloridocobalt(III) sulphate
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