Consider the following structures (1 and 2 are octahedral; 3 and 4 are square planar). Which one of the following statements about the above structures is correct?
A) 1 and 2 are superimposable.
B) 1 and 2 are geometric isomers.
C) 3 and 4 are structural isomers.
D) 3 and 4 are optical isomers.
E) 3 and 4 are geometric isomers.

Question

Consider the following structures (1 and 2 are octahedral; 3 and 4 are square planar).  Which one of the following statements about the above structures is correct?
A) 1 and 2 are superimposable. 
B) 1 and 2 are geometric isomers. 
C) 3 and 4 are structural isomers. 
D) 3 and 4 are optical isomers. 
E) 3 and 4 are geometric isomers.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Structures 3 and 4 are square planar, which means they have four ligands or groups surrounding the central metal atom. To be a geometric isomer, the ligands must be arranged differently in space. In structure 3, the two chloride ligands are adjacent to each other, while in structure 4, they are across from each other. This difference in ligand arrangement makes structures 3 and 4 geometric isomers.
Structures 1 and 2 are octahedral, meaning they have six ligands surrounding the central metal atom. They are also identical, with the same ligands arranged in the same way, making them superimposable. Therefore, choice A is not correct. Neither structure 1 nor 2 has geometric isomers, so choice B is also incorrect. Structures 3 and 4 have the same ligands arranged differently, so they are structural isomers, making choice C incorrect. Lastly, square planar complexes do not possess any chiral centers, so they cannot exhibit optical isomerism, and choice D is also not correct. Therefore, the correct choice is E: 3 and 4 are geometric isomers.

Consider the Following Structures (1 and 2 Are Octahedral; 3