Polydentate

[Brevin Hensley 1C]

What does it mean for a ligand to be polydentate? And how can you identify a polydentate?

[josephperez_2C]

Polydentate simply means ligands with more than one bonded atom. I believe you can just look at the amount of bonds, so an atom with 4 bonds is tetradentate for example.

[805169754]

A few examples of polydentate ligands are oxalate, ethylenediamine and diethylenetriamine. all of these could attach to the central atom in a coordination complex by two or more bonds.

[RandallNeeDis3K]

Just like these posts have said, a polydentate has more than one ligand bounded to it (transition metal). Therefore, a monodentate is when the metal just has one. Keep in mind that polydentates will forma chelate, which is a ring structure in the molecule.