Coordination compounds

You can use coordinate bond to represent coordination compounds (ferrocenes, metallocenes). For example:
images/download/attachments/47420373/coordination_compounds.PNG
The coordinate bond type can represent the connection between an atom and a group of atoms. The coordinate bond has two types of representation according to IUPAC recommendation:

  • arrow between two atoms,

  • dashed line between an atom and a group of atoms.

In the Edit > Preferences > Bonds menu item you can change the default line type of coordinate bonds to solid.

To draw a coordinate bond between two atoms just choose the coordinate bond from the bond list and draw the bond by specifying the required direction.

To draw a coordinate bond between an atom and a group of atoms you need to create a multi-center attachment point to represent the group of atoms.

To draw a coordinate bond between an atom and a group of atoms

  • Select the atoms to be represented at one end of the coordinate bond by a multi-center.

  • Choose Structure>Add>Multi-center from the main menu or Add>Multi-center from the contextual menu. A multi-center represented by an * (asterisk) will be added. If you move the cursor to the multi-center the represented atoms are highlighted (blue circle around the atom labels).

  • Draw a coordinate bond from the multi-center and edit the other end of the bond if required. The asterisk representing the multi-center disappears after the bond has been drawn.

  • Repeat steps 2-4 to draw further multi-centers and coordinate bonds if required.

Several examples are collected in the Insert>Template Library> Organometallics template library.