Question

Taking an example of an ambidentate ligand, explain why it is called as ambidentate ligand.

Answer 1

An ambidentate ligand has two or more donor atoms, but during complex formation, only one donor atom is attached to metal.
For example, $N{O}_2^{-}$ ion is ambidentate ligand. It has two donor atoms N and O. At a time, only one donor atom, either N or O is attached to metal as $M-ONO$ or $M-N{O}_2$
Also, $SC{N}^{-}$ can coordinate through either S or N atom as $M-SCN$ or $M-NCS$
Also $C{N}^{-}$ ion can coordinate through either C or N as $M-CN$ or $M-NC$