Practice free →
HomeNEET UGChemistryCoordination Compounds › In the name 'tris(ethane-1,2-diamine)cobalt(III)…

In the name 'tris(ethane-1,2-diamine)cobalt(III) sulphate' for [Co(en)₃]₂(SO₄)₃, why is 'tris' used instead of 'tri'?

ABecause there are 3 sulphate ions
BBecause the ligand name 'ethane-1,2-diamine' itself contains numerical prefixes ('di-')
CTris is just decorative
DBecause cobalt is in +3 oxidation state
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Because the ligand name 'ethane-1,2-diamine' itself contains numerical prefixes ('di-')
When the ligand name itself contains numerical prefixes (di-, tri-, tetra-), the multiplier becomes **bis-, tris-, tetrakis-** to avoid ambiguity. Example: tris(ethane-1,2-diamine) — 3 'en' ligands.
Solve this in the app — NEET UG practice & 24k+ MCQs →
Related questions