The number of optical isomers exhibited by the iron complex (A) obtained from the following reaction is . FeCl3 + KOH + H2C2O4 A
Answer
2
Solution
FeCl3 + 3KOH + 3H2C2O4 K3[Fe(C2O4)3] + 3HCl + 3H2O
A = K3[Fe(C2O4)3], potassium trioxalatoferrate(III), an octahedral complex of type [M(AA)3].
∵ Three bidentate oxalate ligands make the complex chiral (no plane or centre of symmetry), it exists as a pair of non-superimposable mirror images (d and l forms).
∴ Number of optical isomers = 2
Answer: 2