EDTA\(^{4-}\) (Ethylenediaminetetraacetate) is a hexadentate ligand, meaning it can coordinate to a metal ion through six donor atoms (four oxygen atoms from carboxyl groups and two nitrogen atoms from amine groups).
- This ability allows EDTA to form very stable chelate complexes with metal ions, making it a powerful chelating agent.
- It is widely used in:
- Water treatment (to remove metal impurities).
- Medical applications (chelating excess metal ions from the body in cases of poisoning).
- Analytical chemistry (complexometric titrations).