Linkage isomerism is a type of isomerism found in coordination compounds. It arises when a ligand can coordinate to a metal center in more than one way, leading to different structural arrangements. In linkage isomerism, the position of the binding site of a ligand changes. For example, some ligands contain multiple donor atoms, where only one of those atoms binds to the metal ion at a time.
Articles by others on the same topic
Linkage isomerism occurs when complexes have the same composition but an ambidentate ligand attaches through different atoms. N-bound and O-bound nitrite provide the classical example. This is a difference in attachment connectivity, rather than the different spatial arrangements of unchanged connectivity in stereoisomers.