You learn some basic knowledge about iupac nomenclature to see this image. 
IUPAC Nomenclature of coordination compounds examples
IUPAC Nomenclature of coordination compounds examples



IUPAC Nomenclature of coordination compound

First you well be Know that what is anion and cation?

a) Cation

  • Whose compound are started braketes [.
  • Example
•[CO(NH3)]CL3
•[Ag(NH3)2]Cl
•[Cr(en)3]Cl3
•[Pt(py)4]Cl2
In above example the complexes start in braketes.

b) Anion


  • Whose compound are not start braketes is called anion.
  • For example

•K4[Fe(CN)6]
•Na3[Co(NO2)6]
•K3[Cu(CN)4]
•H2[PtCl6]

The following rules are observed in naming the coordination compound.

1) Order of naming ions


  • In ionic complex , postive ion is named first folowed by negative ion .
  • For example
  • In naming complex compound ,[Co(NH3)6]Cl3,  the name of positive ion [Co(NH3)6]3+[Hexammine Cobalt (3) is written first and name of nigative ion Cl- is written afterwards. 
  • Simlerly in meaning complex compound ,K3[Al(C2O4)3] ,the name of positive ion k + ( potassium) is written first and name of nagative ion [Al(C2O4)3]3- [ tetra aluminate (3) is written afterwards . In the non ionic or moleculer complex one word name is given .
  • For example,
  • [Pt(NH3)2Cl2]
  • Diammine dichloro platinum (2)
After watching this video all the doubt related to nomenclature of coordination compound ,will be cleared.


2) Naming of coordination sphere


  • In naming complex  ions, the ligands (coordination groups) are named first. 
  • If the ligands have simple names, their number is indicated by the free prefixes di, tri ,tetra etc.
  • If the legends have complicated names (ethylen ediamine en) , pyredine (py), ) ,their number is indicated by the prefix bis ,Tris ,tetrakis etc and names of such ligands are written in the four  braket .

Some basic knowledge to see this image.

IUPAC Nomenclature of coordination compounds examples
Iupac nomenclature of coordination compound


3) Naming of ligands


  • In complex compound, central metal ion is attached with negative , natural or positive ligands .
  • If the ligand is anion (negatively charged) it is named as ending in 'O'.
  •  For example,

•(SO3)2-  SULPHITO
•CH3COO-ACETATO
•NO2- NITRO
•ONO-NITRO
•NO3- NITRATO
•Cl- CHLORO
•Br-  BROMO
•I- IODO
•OH-  HYDROXO


•O2-  OXO
•(O2-)2-  PEROXO
•O2- SUPEROXO
•CN -  CYANO
•(SO4)2- SULPHATO
•(S2O3)2-  THIOSULPHATO
•SCN-  THIO CYANATO
•NCS- ISOTHIOCYANOTO
•NH2- AMIDO
•NH2- IMIDO
•N3-  AJIDO
•(C2O4)2- OXALATO

4) ORDER OF NAMING LIGANDS


  •  If two are more types of ligands are present according to modern IUPAC system they are written in the alphabetical order irrespective of whether they are negative natural.
  • For example,
  •  in the complex compound ,[Pt(NH3)4(Cl)(NO2)]Cl
  • The order of element is an amine chloro nitro.


5) Naming of bridging groups


  • In the polynuclear complexes,( the complexes having two or more metal atoms) ,the bridging group is indicated by separating it from rest of the complex by hyphens and by adding μ  before its name the Greek letter μ  is indicated before the name of each bridging groups.


IUPAC Nomenclature of coordination compounds examples
IUPAC Nomenclature of coordination compounds the

5) Name of oxidation state of central metal ion

  • After indicating the number and names of llegends 
  • the next step is to mention the name of central metal ion followed by roman number Sach as II,III,IV to indicate the oxidation state of the metal.
  •  If the complex ion is a cation , the central metal ion is named as hexammine chomium (III) ion .
  • If the complex ion is anion ,the name of central metal ion is made to end 'ate' . Thus ,[ Ni(CN)4]2- is as tetra cyno nikelate (II) ion.
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