chemistry

Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III)

Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) is a chemistry topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) rather than just read about it. In short: Sodium tris(carbonato)cobaltate(III) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na3Co(CO3)3•3H2O. The salt contains an olive-green metastable cobalt(III) coordination complex.

Key takeaways

Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) belongs to chemistry; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Sodium tris(carbonato)cobaltate(III) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na3Co(CO3)3•3H2O. The salt contains an olive-green metastable cobalt(III) coordination complex. The salt, a homoleptic metal carbonato complex, is sometimes referred to as the “Field-Durrant precursor” and is prepared by the “Field-Durrant synthesis”. It is used in the synthesis of other cobalt(III) complexes. Otherwise cobalt(III) complexes are generated from cobalt(II) precursors, a process that requires an oxidant.

Synthesis An aqueous solution of cobalt(II) nitrate and hydrogen peroxide is added to a solution of sodium bicarbonate, leading to precipitation of the olive solid. The reaction also generates lots of oxygen due to the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The method is a modification of the synthesis of what has been described as “Co2(CO3)3”.

Structure and synthetic applications The identity of this complex anion has been established by X-ray crystallography of [Co(NH3)6][Co(κ2-CO3)3], which is also olive-green. This salt is prepared by the addition of [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 to fresh solutions of sodium tris(carbonato)cobaltate(III). It is anhydrous. The anionic complex features three bidentate (κ2-) carbonate ligands. The structure of Na3Co(CO3)3 or its hydrates, while probably featuring the same anion, is not absolutely certain. Thermal gravimetric analysis favors the presence of one aquo ligand, and infra-red spectroscopy indicates the presence of both bi- and unidentate carbonate ligands. To some extent, the exact description of the title salt is unimportant since it is mainly used as a synthetic intermediate. Products include [Co(H2O)6]3+, [Co(κ2-CO3)(H2O)4]+, and [Co(κ2-CO3)2(H2O)2]− and their derivatives where the aquo ligand has been displaced. The closely related potassium tris(carbonato)cobaltate(III) has also been used for the preparation of diverse complexes. These derivatives include [Co(NH3)2(κ2-CO3)2]− and [Co(CN)2(κ2-CO3)2]3-, rare examples of bis(carbonato) cobaltate(III) complexes. Other derivatives include the dinitrite [Co(NH3)2(κ2-CO3)(NO2)2]− and the oxalate [Co(NH3)2(κ2-CO3)(C2O4)]−.

References

Other literature Bauer, H. F.; Drinkard, W. C. (1960). "A General Synthesis of Cobalt(III) Complexes; A New Intermediate, Na3[Co(CO3)3]·3H2O". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 82 (19): 5031–5032. doi:10.1021/ja01504a004. Fikru Tafesse, Elias Aphane, and Elizabeth Mongadi (2009): "Determination of the structural formula of sodium tris-carbonatocobaltate(III), Na3[Co(CO3)3]·3H2O by thermogravimetry". Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, volume 102, issue 1, pages 91–97. doi:10.1007/s10973-009-0606-2 Thomas P. McCutcheon and William J. Schuele (1953): "Complex Acids of Cobalt and Chromium. The Green Carbonatocobalt(III) Anion". Journal of the American Chemical Society, volume 75, issue 8, pages 1845–1846. doi:10.1021/ja01104a019

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In chemistry, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III)

In research: Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) appears in chemistry research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Ammine complexes, Carbonato complexes, Cobalt(III) compounds, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) in simple terms?

Sodium tris(carbonato)cobaltate(III) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na3Co(CO3)3•3H2O. The salt contains an olive-green metastable cobalt(III) coordination complex.

Why does Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) matter?

Because it connects several chemistry ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III).