Discuss briefly giving an example in each case the role of coordination compounds in:
(i) biological systems (ii) medicinal chemistry and (iii) analytical chemistry (iv) extraction/metallurgy of metals.

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Solution

(i) Biological systems
Several naturally occurring biologically important compounds are coordination compounds.
Thus, chlorophyll is a coordination compound containing Mg(II) ions. It is green pigment present in plants and is used in photosynthesis.
(ii) Medicinal chemistry
To remove metal poisoning, complexing agents are used, cis platin $[P t C l_{2} (N H_{3})_{2}]$ is used in cancer chemotherapy.
(iii) Analytical chemistry
Complex formation is used in qualitative scheme of analysis. In group I analysis, silver ion is separated from the precipitate of $A g C l, H g_{2} C l_{2}$ and $P b C l_{2}$ . Aqueous ammonia is added to the ppt. AgCl dissolves due to formation of soluble complex.
$A g C l + 2 N H_{3} ⇌ [A g (N H_{3})_{2}] C l$
(iv) Extraction/metallurgy of metals
Metals such as gold and silver are extracted by complex formation technique. Cyanide process is used for extraction of silver and gold from its ore.
$A g_{2} S + 4 N a C N \to 2 N a [A g (C N)_{2}] + N a_{2} S$
$2 N a [A g (C N)_{2}] + Z n \to N a_{2} [Z n (C N)_{4}] + 2 A g$

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