CHEM3012 - Core Chemistry 3 Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms

The substitution of ligands in octahedral metal complexes is the most extensively mechanistically studied inorganic reaction. It is of fundamental importance, and a number of important observations and results are found. Substitution in octahedral systems was initially studied for classical coordination complexes in aqueous solutions. More recently some important observations have been made regarding the mechanism by which organometallic complexes under ligand substitution reactions. We will consider these organometallic complexes after a discussion of the aqueous reaction mechanisms. The following three sections cover: ♦ Substitution reactions of classical octahedral complexes in general ♦ Points which are specific to Co(III), mainly since it is the most extensively investigated metal/oxidation state. ♦ Some octahedral organometallic substitution chemistry.