Denate

[Laura Riccardelli]

How do you know if a molecule is mono, bi, tri, tetra, or hexadenate simply by looking at the molecular name?

[Clarisse Wikstrom 1H]

Sometimes if works if you count the number of Nitrogens because you know that they usually have a lone pair, however you also have to remember that if the nitrogens are right next to each other, they wont both bind at the same time... ultimately I would just draw the Lewis structure because then you know exactly how many lone pairs you're dealing with.

[SalmaQ]

Common monodentates include: H20, CN-, SCN-, X-, NH3, NO2-, OH-.

[SalmaQ]

And the common polydentates include:
1)Bidentate: C2O4^2- and ethylenediamine (H2NCH2CH2NH2)
2) Tridentate: Diethylenetriamine
3) Hexadentate: edta