Coordination Sphere

[Brian Kim 1L]

Hello, one thing I'm currently unsure about is the definition of a coordination sphere. What exactly is the coordination sphere, and is it possible for any ligands or atoms to bind to the central atom outside of it?

[Alex 3C]

I believe that the coordination sphere is simply an area of operation for us. The coordination sphere, in my mind at least, is something of a set boundary, and the sum of all of the bonds within its borders will equal the coordination number within that sphere. In other words, all of the ligands are DIRECTLY connected to the central metal atom. If you go on Wikipedia to find the definition for this term, you'll find that there is actually a second coordination sphere that refers to anything that may be indirectly bonded to the central atom. Hope this helped!