monudentate

Monudentate refers to a ligand that can form a chemical bond with a central atom through only one donor atom. In coordination chemistry, a ligand is a molecule or ion that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The term "dentate" refers to the number of donor atoms on the ligand that can simultaneously bind to the metal center. Therefore, a monudentate ligand possesses a single point of attachment.

Common examples of monudentate ligands include water (H2O), ammonia (NH3), chloride ions (Cl-), and cyanide ions (CN-). In these examples, the oxygen atom in water, the nitrogen atom in ammonia, and the halogen or carbon atom in the ionic ligands are the sole donor atoms capable of forming a coordinate covalent bond with the metal. The geometry and electronic properties of the resulting coordination complex are significantly influenced by the nature and number of monudentate ligands attached to the central metal ion. While some ligands can exhibit different dentacities depending on the coordination environment, monudentate ligands consistently bind through only one atom. Understanding the dentacity of ligands is crucial for predicting and explaining the structure, reactivity, and properties of coordination compounds.