A new definition of coordination number and its use in lanthanide and actinide coordination and organometallic chemistry

Abstract

A steric coordination number of a ligand is defined, based on the solid angle comprising the van der Waals' spheres of the atoms of that ligand, as an alternative to the formal coordination number in discussing structural aspects of lanthanide and actinide coordination and organometallic compounds. The study of the bond lengths in 274 structurally characterized compounds of the lanthanides (including Sc and Y), in oxidation states II and III, and the actinides (Th and U), in oxidation states III and IV, was the basis to derive ligand effective radii which are discussed in relation to bonding, coordination geometries, metal ionic radii and oxidation states. Potential uses of the new definition of coordination number and of the ligand effective radii obtained in molecular structure comparison and bond length prediction are also discussed.