What is the denticity of `[EDTA]^(4-)`

Answer

To determine the denticity of the EDTA ion \([EDTA]^{4-}\), we need to analyze its structure and understand how many donor atoms it has that can coordinate to a central metal ion.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Structure of EDTA**:
- EDTA stands for ethylene diamine tetraacetate. It consists of an ethylene backbone (two carbon atoms connected by a nitrogen) with four acetate groups attached.
- The acetate groups contain carboxylate (-COO^-) functional groups, which are the sites that can donate electron pairs.

2. **Count the Donor Atoms**:
- In the EDTA structure, there are two nitrogen atoms (from the ethylene diamine part) and four oxygen atoms (from the four acetate groups).
- Each nitrogen can donate one pair of electrons, and each oxygen in the carboxylate group can also donate one pair of electrons.

3. **Calculate Total Denticity**:
- The total number of donor sites (or donor atoms) in EDTA is:
- 2 (from nitrogen) + 4 (from oxygen) = 6 donor atoms.
- Therefore, EDTA can donate 6 pairs of electrons to a central metal ion.

4. **Conclusion**:
- The denticity of \([EDTA]^{4-}\) is 6, as it can coordinate through six donor atoms.

### Final Answer:
The denticity of \([EDTA]^{4-}\) is 6.