Page 45 - Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 2005)

G R A M M A R I R-2.12

k as a l igating atom designator in the kappa convention (see Sections IR-9.2.4.2 and
IR-10.2.3.3);
L to show absolute c onfiguration (see Section IR-9.3.4);
l to indicate non-standard bonding number in the lambda convention (see Section
IR-6.2.1 and Section P-14.1 of Ref.1); t o d enote t he absolute c onfiguration of chelate
ring conformations (see Section IR-9.3.4);
m to designate a b ridging l igand (see Sections IR-9.2.5.2 and IR-10.2.3.1).

IR-2.11 A S T E R I S K S

The asterisk (*) is used in formulae as a r ight s uperscript to the symbol of an element, in
the following ways:
(a) To highlight a c hiral centre.

Example:

1. H C H
2
C
∗
H C CH 3
CHMe 2
This usage has been extended to label a c hiral ligand or a c hiral centre in coordination
chemistry.

Example:
2. Me
H
C *
Ph S
C
V *
S

(b) To designate e xcited m olecular or nuclear states.

Example:

3. NO*

IR-2.12 P R I M E S

(a) Primes ( ), double primes ( ), triple primes ( ), etc. may be used in the names and
000
0
00
formulae of coordination compounds in the following ways:
(i) within ligand names, in order to differentiate between s ites of substitution;
(ii) when specifying donor atoms (IR-9.2.4.2), i n o rder to differentiate between d onor
atoms;

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