Lesson plan
Ate complex
In chemistry, an ate complex is a salt formed by the reaction of a Lewis acid with a Lewis base whereby the central atom (from the Lewis acid) increases its valence and gains a negative formal charge. (In this definition, the meaning of valence is equivalent to coordination number). Often in chemical nomenclature the term ate is suffixed to the element in question. For example, the ate complex of a boron compound is called a borate. Thus trimethylborane and methyllithium react to form the ate compound , lithium tetramethylborate(1-). This concept was introduced by Georg Wittig in 1958. Ate complexes are common for metals, including the transition metals (groups 3-11), as well as the metallic or semi-metallic elements of group 2, 12, and 13. They are also well-established for third-period or heavier elements of groups 14–18 in their higher oxidation states. Ate complexes are a counterpart to onium ions. Lewis acids form ate ions when the central atom reacts with a donor ( X-type ligand), gaining one more bond and becoming a negative-charged anion. Lewis bases form onium ions when the central atom reacts with an acceptor ( Z-type ligand), gaining one more bond and becoming a positive-charged cation.
Article summary
In chemistry, an ate complex is a salt formed by the reaction of a Lewis acid with a Lewis base whereby the central atom (from the Lewis acid) increases its valence and gains a negative formal charge. (In this definition, the meaning of valence is equivalent to coordination number). Often in chemical nomenclature the term ate is suffixed to the element in question. For example, the ate complex of a boron compound is called a borate. Thus trimethylborane and methyllithium react to form the ate compound , lithium tetramethylborate(1-). This concept was introduced by Georg Wittig in 1958. Ate complexes are common for metals, including the transition metals (groups 3-11), as well as the metallic or semi-metallic elements of group 2, 12, and 13. They are also well-established for third-period or heavier elements of groups 14–18 in their higher oxidation states. Ate complexes are a counterpart to onium ions. Lewis acids form ate ions when the central atom reacts with a donor ( X-type ligand), gaining one more bond and becoming a negative-charged anion. Lewis bases form onium ions when the central atom reacts with an acceptor ( Z-type ligand), gaining one more bond and becoming a positive-charged cation.
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.