Which one of the following is an ambidentate ligand?
- Oxalate
- Ethane-1,2-diamine
- Thiocyanate
- Ethylenediaminetetraacetate ion
Answer
(3) Thiocyanate
Solution
As per NCERT, a ligand that can ligate through two different donor atoms (but one at a time) is ambidentate.
Thiocyanate, SCN-, binds through S (M–SCN, thiocyanato) or through N (M–NCS, isothiocyanato) ⇒ ambidentate.
Oxalate and ethane-1,2-diamine are didentate; EDTA4- is hexadentate.
Answer: (3)