Is NO3- an ambidentate ligand?

To determine whether NO3- is an ambidentate ligand, we need to understand what an ambidentate ligand is.

Ambidentate ligands are molecules or ions that can bind to a central metal ion through two different atoms. These ligands have multiple potential bonding sites, allowing them to form coordination complexes in different ways.

In the case of NO3-, which is the nitrate ion, it consists of a central nitrogen atom (N) bonded to three oxygen atoms (O). The nitrogen atom does not have any free electron pairs, so it cannot directly form a coordination bond. However, each of the oxygen atoms does have a lone pair of electrons, making them potentially capable of forming coordination bonds.

While NO3- has three oxygen atoms that could potentially serve as binding sites, only one of these oxygen atoms can actually bind to a metal ion at a time. Thus, NO3- is not considered an ambidentate ligand because it can form a coordination bond through only one atom (one oxygen atom) at a time.

In summary, NO3- is not an ambidentate ligand because it can form coordination bonds through only one atom (oxygen) at a time, despite having multiple oxygen atoms that could potentially serve as binding sites.