Polydentate

[JulieAljamal1E]

How can I tell if something is polydentate? And how do I decide if it's mono dentate, bidentate, trident ate etc.? I understand polydentate means that the ligand binds at multiple sites but, how can we figure out how many sites it binds to?

[Chem_Mod]

Look at the structure of the ligand, including the formal charges and polarities. Atoms with lone pairs or with formal charges tend to be able to accept or donate electrons. This should help you to figure out which atoms within the ligand can bind to another molecule.

[Charles Gu 1D]

If there are multiple polydentates, make sure to use bis(2), tris(3), etc.

[KatrinaPho_2I]

Polydentates should have more than one element with lone pairs.