Metal complexes and bonding

Dear all,

I want to draw a metal complex with coordinating ligands, say something like ethylenediamine or triphenylphosphine (see picture).  A coordination bond can easily be used to attach the nitrogens to the iron atom.  However, I cannot attach the PPh3 functional group to the metal through any type of bond (see picture).  Furthermore, if I coordinatively bond two phosphorus atoms in the lowermost molecule, I cannot get the desired product unless I explicitly add three P-Ph bonds to each phosphorus atom.

Is there a way to properly bond the triphenylphosphine group so that it looks like "Ph3P-Fe"?

In addition, is there a way to represent a coordination bond without the arrow (so that it looks like a single bond)?

Thanks.

Hello,

We need some more time to find a solution for this problem. Meanwhile, we can offer you a workaround:

1. Type PPh3 and place the PPh3 abbreviation in Marvin Sketch
2. Expand the abbreviation (the Expand Group menu item is available from local menu)
3. Add an attachment point to the P atom. (the Attachment Point menu item is available from local menu)
4. Contract the abbreviation (the Contract Group menu item is available from local menu)
5. Add a bond between the abbreviaton and the Fe atom.

Best Regards
Erika

Great, thanks for the temporary workaround.

Is there a way to represent the nitrogen-iron coordinartion bond using a non-arrow type bond?

Conventionally, the arrow is not used when drawing coordination complexes that contain ligands such as ethylenediamine.

Hello,

You can use dashed line instead of arrow by creating a multi-center:

1. Type PPh3 and place the PPh3 abbreviation in Marvin Sketch
2. Select the abbreviation
3. Add a multicenter to the selected abbreviation. (the Multi-Center menu item is available from local menu)
5. Add a coordinate bond between the Multi-Center and the Fe atom.

Best Regards,
Erika

Morris, there is currently no way to do this in MarvinSketch unless (1) you put formal charges on the P and the metal, also not conventional, or (2) you accept valence errors on the P and the metal.  

Erika, Morris would like an option, and I agree it would be very useful, to display the coordinate bond the same way as a single bond.  You could allow users to set this option in the Preferences dialog or developers via the API.  

We will consider your request and get back with an answer after the holidays.

 

Best regards,

Erika.

Hi,

Thanks for your suggestion, we registered your feature request in our system.
We will notify you as soon as the development is ready.

Regards,
Erika

Erika,

Do you know the status of the above mentioned feature request?

I would love to start using Marvinsketch more regularly but the drawbacks in constructing coordination complexes are *severely* hindering my desire to use this piece of software...

 Hi Morris,

Unfortunately,
the requested feature is not yet implemented.

The planned
release version is 5.5.

 

Regards,

Erika