Question Details

Out of the following complex compounds, which of the compound will be having the minimum conductance is solution?

Options

A

[Co(NH3)3Cl3]

B

[Co(NH3)4Cl2]

C

[Co(NH3)6]Cl3

D

[Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option A

[Co(NH3)3Cl3]

Option B

[Co(NH3)4Cl2]

[Co(NH3)3Cl3]

Solution :

The correct option is [Co(NH3)3Cl3].

Explanation:
The electrical conductance of an aqueous solution of a coordination complex depends directly on the number of free ions it produces when dissolved in water. A higher number of mobile ions in the solution leads to higher electrical conductance, whereas fewer ions result in lower conductance. A neutral complex that does not dissociate into ions will exhibit the minimum (practically zero) conductance.

Let's analyze the dissociation behavior of each of the given complex compounds in aqueous solution:

1. [Co(NH3)3Cl3]:
This is a neutral coordination sphere. Because all three chloride ligands and the three ammonia ligands are inside the coordination sphere (within the square brackets), they are directly coordinated to the central cobalt ion and do not ionize in solution.
[Co(NH3)3Cl3] \Rightarrow \text{No ionization (0 ions)} Since it produces zero ions in solution, it has the minimum conductance.

2. [Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl:
This complex dissociates in solution to give a complex cation and a chloride anion:
[Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl \Rightarrow [Co(NH3)4Cl2]^+ + Cl^- \text{ (2 ions)}

3. [Co(NH3)6]Cl3:
This complex dissociates completely in water to yield one complex cation and three chloride anions:
[Co(NH3)6]Cl3 \Rightarrow [Co(NH3)6]^3+ + 3Cl^- \text{ (4 ions)}

4. [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2:
This complex dissociates in solution to produce one complex cation and two chloride anions:
[Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2 \Rightarrow [Co(NH3)5Cl]^2+ + 2Cl^- \text{ (3 ions)}

Conclusion:
Comparing the number of ions produced by each compound, [Co(NH3)3Cl3] does not ionize at all and thus possesses the minimum electrical conductance in solution.

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