Ammonia acts as a very good ligand but ammonium ion does not... | Chemistry | SolveeIt

Question

Ammonia acts as a very good ligand but ammonium ion does not form complexes because

$NH_{3}$ is a gas while $NH^{+}_{4}$ is in liquid form

$NH_{3}$ undergoes $sp^{3}$ hybridisation while $NH^{+}_{4}$ undergoes $sp^{3} d$ hybridisation

$NH^{+}_{4}$ ion does not have any lone pair of electrons

$NH^{+}_{4}$ ion has one unpaired electron while $NH_{3}$ has two unpaired electrons

Answer

$NH^{+}_{4}$ ion does not have any lone pair of electrons

Explanation

Solution

Complexes are formed by donation of a pair of electrons from ligand to metal. In ammonia, $N$ atom has one lone pair of electrons. So it can form complexes. Nitrogen donates this lone pair of electrons to proton to form ammonium ion. $NH _{4}^{+}$ ion does not possess any lone pair of electrons which it can donate to central metal ion hence it does not form complexes.

Chemistry Question on coordination compounds

Solution