9C.5

[Amy Shimizu 1J]

Could someone clarify how to determine if a ligand can be polydentate, as well as how to find the maximum number of places on the ligand that can bind simultaneously to a single metal center? I don't really understand what it means when a ligand bonds to the central metal atom by more than one donor atom.

[Ashley M 2E]

A ligand can be polydentate if it has more than one lone pair that it can donate and create a bond with. For instance, in ethylenediamine, there are two nitrogens with two spacers in between that each have a lone pair that can bond with the transition metal.