SEMESTER 20224

OCTOBER 2022 - FEBRUARY 2023

CHM477 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

EXPERIMENT 7: MEASUREMENT OF PHYSICAL

PROPERTIES AND ISOMERISM OF COMPLEXES

NAME: NUR AQILAH BINTI MOHD AZLI

STUDENT ID: 2021609214
GROUP: AS2533A1

DATE: 21 / 12 / 2022
INTRODUCTION
Isomerism in coordination compounds is when the occurrence of two or more coordination
compounds that have the same chemical formula but different arrangements of the ligands in
their structure. The identification upon which exact isomers that we dealt with is very important
in the development of coordination chemistry since each isomer of these coordination
compounds hold different physical and chemical properties. In this experiment, copper(II) and
chromium(III) complexes are the coordination compounds that are being used to be run under
different tests to determine their comparable individualistic physical properties as well as
identify their isomeric nature. The tests include to identify their solubility in several solvents
(water, HCl, NaHCO3, NaOH) and colour changing upon the reaction, precipitation tests, pH
tests, and flame tests.
OBJECTIVE(S)
To determine the physical properties and isomeric nature of copper(II) and chromium(III)
complexes.
METHOD
DATA/CALCULATION
Test Copper complex Chromium complex
a) Colour and shape Royal blue crystals Greenish black crystals
b) Solubility and colour Solubility Colour Solubility Colour changes
changes changes
i. Water i. soluble i. cloudy light i. soluble i. greenish black
ii. HCl ii. insoluble blue ii. soluble ii. greenish black
iii. NaHCO3 iii. insoluble ii. cloudy iii. soluble iii. greenish black
iv. NaOH iv. insoluble white with iv. insoluble iv. cloudy light green
precipitate with precipitate
iii. clear blue
insoluble
iv. colourless
with black
precipitate

c) Isomerism Trans-form Cis-form

d) Confirmation test Decolourized to colourless Decolourized to bright grey solution
solution with pink precipitate with precipitate
e) Solution pH 5 4
f) Flame test Green flame Purple flame

DISCUSSION
In this experiment, exposure on the existence of isomerism within coordination compounds were
being done. This experiment mainly focused on the isomeric nature of copper(II) and
chromium(III) complexes along with determination of their physical properties through
subdivided aspects by running few tests between the two coordination complexes used.
Firstly, the copper(II) complex was recognized by its royal blue fine crystals form while the
chromium(III) complex was in the form of greenish black opaque crystals. Solubility test was
done to both complexes with several different solvents and the colour changes upon the reaction
after being heated was being observed and recorded. Upon the reaction with water as solvent,
both complexes shown the ability to being soluble in it where the solution with copper(II)
complex appeared to be in cloudy light blue in colour and the chromium(III) complex solution
was remained as greenish black in colour as how its colour appeared as solids. With HCl as the
solvent, copper(II) complex was observed to be insoluble and appeared as cloudy white solution
with precipitation formed while chromium(III) was soluble in HCl and still in greenish black
colour of solution. The third solvent would be NaHCO3 where once again copper(II) complex
was appeared in clear blue insoluble solution while chromium(III) complex soluble in this
solvent and remain unchanged from its initial appearance upon dissolving the solid into the
solvent, that was in greenish black solution. The last solvent being tested was NaOH and both
complexes were insoluble in it , in which copper(II) complex solution was being observed with
colourless solution and appearance of black precipitate at the bottom of the test tube whereas the
solution with chromium(III) complex turned into cloudy light green with precipitate.
Onto the second test, the isomeric nature of these two complexes were determined upon its
solubility with the mixture of dilute ammonia and dilute hydrochloric acid solution and
absorption into the filter paper rested on a watch glass. Since copper(II) complex was insoluble
and did not spread over the filter paper, copper(II) complex was identified in trans-form of
isomer and chromium(III) complex was in cis-form of isomer because it dissolved in the solvent
and spread well over the filter paper.
The third test would be the confirmatory test where in literature observation for copper(II)
complex would be appearance of red-brown to pink precipitate after discolouration of blue
colour while the solution in acidic form. The resulted observation confirmed the solution to be
decolourized and formed pink precipitate. As for chromium(III) complex, the appearance of
bright yellow colour solution supposedly being observed, nevertheless the experimental
observation was seen to be bright grey solution with precipitate. This could probably be due to
errors in getting the correct formulation of each chemical used as well as contamination of other
unnecessary chemical compounds that would probably accidentally being reacted along with the
supposedly being reacted with our complexes. Hence, make sure that the chemicals to be used
are being prepared to their true formulation with respect to its formula given in the manual
laboratory book.
The pH of both complexes was also being determined using the pH paper where a drop of each
solutions was deposited onto it. Through the comparison of the colour appeared on the pH paper
with the pH colour scale, copper(II) complex was more basic compared to chromium(III)
complex with the pH value of 5 and 4 respectively.
The last test done on the two coordination complexes was flame test where the wire was cleaned
by dipping them in a beaker of acid and flaming them before dipping them again in the solution
of coordination complexes, copper(II) complex solution and chromium(III) complex solution and
placed them in the flame. Copper(II) complex had produced green flame while chromium(III)
complex was observed to be producing purple flame.
CONCLUSION
From this experiment, the physical properties of copper(II) and chromium(III) complexes were
determined and identified under solubility test in solvents such as water, HCl, NaHCO3 and
NaOH, confirmatory tests in the form of acidic solution, pH test and flame test. The isomeric
nature of these complexes was also determined where copper(II) complex in trans-form and
chromium(III) complex in cis-form.
REFERENCES
Libretexts. (2021, May 10). 24.4: Isomerism in Coordination Complexes. Chemistry LibreTexts.

Retrieved December 31, 2022, from

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Map%3A_General_Chemistr

y_(Petrucci_et_al.)/24%3A_Complex_Ions_and_Coordination_Compounds/24.04%3A_I

somerism