Why Does NH3 Form Complex Ions with Transition Elements?

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NH3 readily forms complex ions with transition metals due to its ability to act as a ligand, donating its lone pair of electrons to the empty d orbitals of these metals. In contrast, NH4+ lacks unpaired electrons, limiting its ability to bond with transition metals and making it only capable of substituting its hydrogen atoms. The formation of complexes involves interactions between electron donors and electron acceptors, which NH3 facilitates effectively. The presence of unpaired electrons in NH3 enhances its bonding potential compared to NH4+. Overall, NH3's electronic structure allows for complex ion formation, while NH4+ does not share this capability.
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Can anybody please tell me why NH3 readily forms complex ions with transitional elements but NH4+ doesn't?
 
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Complexes of this type are generally between electron donors (ligands) and electron acceptors (empty d shell orbitals in transition metals).
 
this is what I think ; NH3 has 2 unpaired electrons and they can bond with the d orbitals of tranisitional metals. However, NH4+ doesn't have an unpaired electron and can only substitute its H.

Am I on the right track?
 
Sounds like it...
 

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