Which one of the following is least likely to act as a ligand with Fe<sup>2+</sup> ions?
A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 20 - 2005 - Paper 1
Question 20
Which one of the following is least likely to act as a ligand with Fe<sup>2+</sup> ions?
A. F<sup>-</sup>
B. CN<sup>-</sup>
C. H<sub>2</sub>O
D. NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which one of the following is least likely to act as a ligand with Fe<sup>2+</sup> ions?
A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 20 - 2005 - Paper 1
Step 1
C. H<sub>2</sub>O
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Answer
To determine which ligand is least likely to act with Fe<sup>2+</sup> ions, we can analyze the potential ligands:
F<sup>-</sup>: Fluoride is a simple anion with a lone pair of electrons, making it a potential ligand.
CN<sup>-</sup>: Cyanide is a strong field ligand due to its ability to form stable complexes, hence it is very likely a strong ligand for Fe<sup>2+</sup>.
H<sub>2</sub>O: Water is a neutral ligand but is weaker compared to the others due to its smaller charge and less effective coordination capability.
NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>: Ammonium can act as a weak ligand though it’s positively charged.
Considering these factors, H<sub>2</sub>O is the least likely to act as a ligand with Fe<sup>2+</sup> ions due to its lower ligand strength compared to the others.