Question

Who is the father of coordination chemistry?

Answer 1

Coordination chemistry is the science which is concerned with the interactions of inorganic and organic ligands with transition metals via coordinate bonds. It involves study of physical and chemical properties of coordination compounds. It also helps us to determine the synthesis and structures of the complexes.

Complete answer:
Coordination compounds: These are the chemical compounds which consist of an array of anions or neutral molecules bound to a transition metal via coordinate bond. These compounds are also known as coordination complexes.
Alfred Werner was a Swiss chemist who developed the basis for modern coordination chemistry. Werner was first to propose the correct and accurate structures for coordination compounds which consist of complex ions. Some of the important postulates given by Alfred Werner are as follows:
1. The central metal ion in a complex shows two types of valencies i.e., primary valency and secondary valency.
2. The primary valency is ionizable and is non directional in nature. It is the oxidation state of the central metal atom and is satisfied by negative ions.
3. Secondary valency which is also known as coordination number of the central metal atom is the number of ligands bonded to it. It is non ionisable and directional in nature. It is satisfied by negative ions or neutral ions.
Alfred Werner was the first inorganic chemist to win the nobel prize for proposing octahedral configuration of transition metal complexes and hence, he is known as the father of coordination chemistry.

Note:
Remember that the secondary valency of the complex i.e., the coordination number of the central metal can be used to determine the different structures of complexes. The complexes with coordination number four are generally tetrahedral and square planar complexes while the complexes which have a coordination number of six are octahedral complexes.