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In chemistry, the Chinese lantern structure is a
In chemistry, the Chinese lantern structure is a coordination complex
A coordination complex consists of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as ''ligands'' or complexing agents. Many ...
where two metal
A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typi ...
atoms are bridged by four bidentate ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's ele ...
s. This structure type is also known as a paddlewheel complex. Examples include chromium(II) acetate
Chromium(II) acetate hydrate, also known as chromous acetate, is the coordination compound with the formula Cr2(CH3CO2)4(H2O)2. This formula is commonly abbreviated Cr2(OAc)4(H2O)2. This red-coloured compound features a quadruple bond. The prep ...
, molybdenum(II) acetate, and rhodium(II) acetate
Rhodium(II) acetate is the coordination compound with the formula Rh2(AcO)4, where AcO− is the acetate ion (). This dark green powder is slightly soluble in polar solvents, including water. It is used as a catalyst for cyclopropanation of al ...
, copper(II) acetate
Copper(II) acetate, also referred to as cupric acetate, is the chemical compound with the formula Cu(OAc)2 where AcO− is acetate (). The hydrated derivative, Cu2(OAc)4(H2O)2, which contains one molecule of water for each copper atom, is availa ...
dihydrate. The name reflects a resemblance between the structure and a Chinese paper lantern
A paper lantern is a lantern made of thin, brightly colored paper. Paper lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, as well as various methods of construction. In their simplest form, they are simply a paper bag with a candle placed inside, alt ...
. Often these compounds bind additional ligands at the sites across from the M---M vector. The degree of metal-metal bonding varies according to the d-electron configuration.
Further reading
*References
Coordination chemistry {{inorganic-chem-stub