Linkage isomers occur with which type of ligands?

Linkage isomers arise from the ability of certain ligands to coordinate to a metal center through different atoms. Ambidentate ligands are a specific type of ligand that possess more than one atom capable of donating a pair of electrons to a metal ion, allowing for different points of attachment to the metal. This characteristic leads to the formation of linkage isomers, where a single ligand can bind to the metal in more than one way, resulting in different structural forms.

For instance, an ambidentate ligand like thiocyanate (SCN^-) can bind to a metal either through the sulfur atom or the nitrogen atom, resulting in distinct coordination complexes. The variation in the bonding sites can lead to different properties and reactivities of the resultant complexes, constituting linkage isomers.

In contrast, monodentate ligands attach through only one donor atom, so they cannot give rise to linkage isomerism, as there is no alternative site for coordination. Polydentate ligands, while they can form chelates and form multiple bonds with a metal, typically do not yield linkage isomers because they usually bind through a specific set of donor atoms. Bridging ligands, which can connect two or more metal centers, primarily affect the