CHE 2C Things to Memorize: Equilibrium, Electrochemistry, and Coordination Chemistry

Essential vocabulary terms, ligand formulas, nomenclature rules, and core concepts for equilibrium, galvanic cells, and transition metal coordination chemistry.

Reaction quotient ($Q$)

The ratio defined as $\frac{\text{Activity of the Products}}{\text{Activity of the Reactants}}$, used to determine the direction of a reaction.

Equilibrium constant ($K$)

The value of the reaction quotient when a chemical reaction reaches equilibrium, where $Q = K$.

Standard state activity (solids and liquids)

The activity value approximated to be $1$ for chemical species in the pure solid and liquid phases.

Standard state activity (aqueous species)

The activity estimated to be numerically equal to the concentration of the species expressed as Molarity ($M$).

Standard state activity (gaseous species)

The activity estimated to be numerically equal to the partial pressure of the gas expressed in atmospheres ($\text{atm}$).

Salt bridge ions

Soluble ions that are non-reactive with electrodes or solution species, specifically $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Cl^-$, and $NO_3^-$.

Inert electrodes

Unreactive conducting materials used in electrochemical cells to transfer electrons without participating in the reaction, specifically $Pt$ and $C(\text{graphite})$.

Aqua

Monodentate: $H_2O$

Ammine

Monodentate: $NH_3$

Carbonyl

Monodentate: $CO$

Methylamine

Monodentate: $CH_3NH_2$

Nitrosyl

Monodentate: $NO$

Pyridine

Monodentate: $C_5H_5N$.

Ethylenediamine (en)

Bidentate:$NH_2CH_2CH_2NH_2$.

Oxalato (ox)

Bidentate: $C_2O_4^{2-}$

Ethylene-diamine-tetraacetato (EDTA)

Hexadentate: $C_{10}H_{16}N_2O_8^{4-}$

Diethylenetriamine (dien)

Tridentate: $(NH_2CH_2CH_2)_2NH$.

Fluoro

Monodentate: $F^-$

Chloro

Monodentate: $Cl^-$

Bromo

Monodentate: $Br^-$

Iodo

Monodentate: $I^-$

Oxo

Monodentate: $O^{2-}$

Hydroxo

Monodentate:$OH^-$

Cyano

Monodentate:$CN^-$

Sulfato

Monodentate:$SO_4^{2-}$

Thiosulfato

Monodentate:$S_2O_3^{2-}$

Nitrito-N- (nitro)

Monodentate: $NO_2^-$

Nitrito-O- (nitrito)

Monodentate: $ONO^-$

Thiocyanato-S- (thiocyanato)

Monodentate: $SCN^-$

Thiocyanato-N- (isothiocyanato)

Monodentate: $NCS^-$

Bis-, tris-, tetrakis-

Special Greek prefixes used to indicate $2$, $3$, and $4$ identical ligands when the ligand's name already contains a simple Greek prefix or for polydentate ligands.

Cuprate

Copper (Cu)

Ferrate

Iron (Fe)

Stannate

Tin (Sn)

Aurate

Gold (Au)

Plumbate

Lead (Pb)

Argentate

Silver (Ag)

Ligand suffix modifications

Systematic naming modifications for anionic ligands where the anion ending -ide changes to -o, -ite changes to -ito, and -ate changes to -ato.

Coordination complex formula notation

The writing convention where the complex is enclosed in brackets with the central metal atom written first, followed by ligands listed in alphabetical order by name.

Transition metal oxidation states diagram

A reference chart showing transition metal oxidation states; solid dots denote common oxidation states, whereas hollow dots denote possible but unlikely oxidation states.