How many geometric isomers are there the compound #Fe(CO)_3CL_3#?

1 Answer
anor277
May 5, 2016

#Fe(CO)_3Cl_3# has two isomers: #"facial"# and #"meridional"#

Explanation:

For the facial isomer, #"fac"-Fe(CO)_3Cl_3#, the chloride ligands occupy one face of the octahderon, and necessarily the carbonyls occupy the other face; for #"mer"-Fe(CO)_3Cl_3#, the three carbonyls (and necessarily the three chlorides) AND the metal occupy the same plane.

See
enter image source here

Note that any octahedral complex #ML_3L'_3# will generate facial meridional isomers.

PS Mods, I apologize (again!) if I have misattributed the diagram. I am not trying to antagonize you.

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