Chemical BondinghardNUMERICAL

In crystalline blue vitriol (), exactly how many water molecules are NOT coordinated to the metal ceChemical Bonding Chemistry Question

Question

In crystalline blue vitriol ($CuSO_4 \cdot 5H_2O$), exactly how many water molecules are NOT coordinated to the metal center but are instead held strictly by hydrogen bonding?

Answer: 1

💡 Solution & Explanation

In $CuSO_4 \cdot 5H_2O$, the $Cu^{2+}$ ion is coordinated to 4 water molecules to form a square planar $[Cu(H_2O)_4]^{2+}$ complex. The 5th water molecule resides outside the coordination sphere and is held in the crystal lattice purely by hydrogen bonds to the coordinated waters and the sulfate ion.

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