9C.5 7th Ed.

[Summer de Vera 2C]

When determining the type of ligand, should you write out Lewis structure ? Or can you just look at the chemical formula?

[Schuyler_Howell_4D]

Ligands are molecules or ions that have one or more pairs of lone electrons. They typically bond to things that have a positive charge. They are classified by how many pairs they have.

The Lewis structure will be a more thorough way to check the pairs of electrons because you have to draw it out and make the octets and everything. If you use the chemical formula you have to go through the charges of elements and pairing in your head that may get confusing.

[Nicole Elhosni 2I]

I think you have to look at the lewis structure and what kind of molecular geometry it forms. When I was doing this question and I looked up how many ligands CO3 2- could form, and it could either be monodentate or bidentate depending on the bond angle.
I still don't really understand it but here is the link:

viewtopic.php?t=4517