Amino acids can act as ligands toward transition metal ions. The simplest amino acid is glycine \(\left(\mathrm{NH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CO}_{2} \mathrm{H}\right)\). Draw a structure of the glycinate anion \(\left(\mathrm{NH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CO}_{2}^{-}\right)\) acting as a bidentate ligand. Draw the structural isomers of the square planar complex \(\mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CO}_{2}\right)_{2}\)

A bidentate ligand is a ligand that can form two bonds with a central metal atom, which occupy two coordination sites of the complex. The glycinate anion is capable of acting as a bidentate ligand by binding to a metal atom through its amino (NH2) group and its carboxylate (CO2-) group. Here is the glycinate anion as a bidentate ligand: O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2

For a square planar complex, the metal atom has four ligands surrounding it in a plane, and these ligands are situated at the corners of a square. In this case, the metal atom is copper (Cu), and the two glycinate anions act as bidentate ligands. Here is the square planar complex of Cu with two glycinate anions: O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2 | O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2-Cu-NH2-CH2-CO2^- | NH2-CH2-CO2^-

Structural isomers are compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structures. In the case of the square planar complex Cu(NH2CH2CO2)2, there are two possible structural isomers. The isomers arise due to the different positions of the amino (NH2) and carboxylate (CO2-) groups relative to each other in the square planar complex. Here are the two structural isomers: Isomer 1: O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2 | O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2-Cu-NH2-CH2-CO2^- | NH2-CH2-CO2^- Isomer 2: NH2-CH2-CO2^- | O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2-Cu-NH2-CH2-CO2^- | O=C(-O^-)-CH2-NH2 These are the two structural isomers of the square planar complex Cu(NH2CH2CO2)2 with the glycinate anion acting as a bidentate ligand.