Skip to content

Iupac Nomenclature

Easychemistry

According to IUPAC rules for naming coordination compounds, what is the correct systematic name of the complex K3[Fe(CN)6]?

Select the correct option:

πŸ”’ Solution Hidden from View

Submit your answer to unlock the detailed step-by-step solution.

About This Question

Subject
chemistry
Chapter
coordination compounds
Topic
iupac nomenclature
Difficulty
Easy
Year
2025
Tags
IUPAC nomenclaturecomplex anionferrate suffixoxidation state balancecyanide ligand

Solution

Correct Answer:

In naming a coordination compound the cation is named first, followed by the anion, and within the complex ion the ligands are named alphabetically before the central metal. Here potassium is the counter cation, and the complex anion contains iron surrounded by six cyanide ligands. Because the complex carries a net negative charge, the metal name takes the Latin-derived ending '-ate', giving 'ferrate'. The oxidation state of iron is found from the overall neutrality: three K^+ contribute +3, six CN^- contribute -6, so iron must be +3. The cyanide ligand is written as 'cyano' (the older accepted form) with prefix 'hexa', producing potassium hexacyanoferrate(III). The choice with iron(II) is wrong because the charge balance demands +3, not +2. 'Tripotassium ferricyanide' is an obsolete trivial name, not IUPAC. The 'hexacyanidoiron(III)' option fails because an anionic complex must use 'ferrate', not 'iron'. This follows the NCERT nomenclature rules directly. Plausibility check: ferricyanide is the well-known +3 species, confirming the oxidation state assignment.

This easy difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter coordination compounds, covering the topic of iupac nomenclature. It appeared in the 2025 exam.

Looking for more practice? Explore all chemistry questions or browse coordination compounds questions on RankGuru.