Which pair of reagents reacts to form a tetrahedral complex?
A CoCl₂(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq)
B CuSO₄(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq)
C CuSO₄(aq) and sodium ethanedioate(aq)
D FeCl₃(aq) and concentrated HCl(aq) - AQA - A-Level Chemistry - Question 19 - 2022 - Paper 3
Question 19
Which pair of reagents reacts to form a tetrahedral complex?
A CoCl₂(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq)
B CuSO₄(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq)
C CuSO₄(aq) and sodium ethane... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which pair of reagents reacts to form a tetrahedral complex?
A CoCl₂(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq)
B CuSO₄(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq)
C CuSO₄(aq) and sodium ethanedioate(aq)
D FeCl₃(aq) and concentrated HCl(aq) - AQA - A-Level Chemistry - Question 19 - 2022 - Paper 3
Step 1
Which pair of reagents reacts to form a tetrahedral complex?
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
To determine which pair of reagents forms a tetrahedral complex, we should consider the nature of the reagents and their ability to facilitate ligand field stabilization.
Review of Options:
A. CoCl₂(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq): Cobalt(II) typically forms octahedral complexes.
B. CuSO₄(aq) and concentrated NH₃(aq): Copper(II) generally forms square planar complexes in the presence of strong field ligands like NH₃.
C. CuSO₄(aq) and sodium ethanedioate(aq): This also tends to favor octahedral or square planar arrangements.
D. FeCl₃(aq) and concentrated HCl(aq): Iron(III) can form tetrahedral complexes, especially in acidic environments when coordinated with ligands like chloride.
Conclusion: Based on the analysis, the pair of reagents that reacts to form a tetrahedral complex is option D: FeCl₃(aq) and concentrated HCl(aq).