Question

How many bridging complexes are there in $ \text{[Mg(Co)}_{10}\text{]} $?

• A. 3
• B. 2
• C. 1
• D. 0

Hint:

In organometallic chemistry, bridging ligands are those that bond to more than one metal center, and the number of bridging complexes can often be determined by examining the metal-ligand bonding arrangement.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

In the complex \( \text{[Mg(Co)}_{10}\text{]} \), magnesium (Mg) is typically acting as the central metal ion, and the carbonyl ligands (\( \text{CO} \)) form bonds with the magnesium. In such organometallic complexes, bridging occurs when two or more ligands bind to the central metal atom at the same time, forming a "bridge" between two or more metal atoms. For this specific case, the structure and bonding would likely involve three bridging complexes, as each \( \text{CO} \) ligand is likely bridging between two magnesium atoms in the complex.
Thus, the answer is \( 3 \).