How many ammonia ligands surround cobalt in Co(NH3)6Cl3?

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Two diagrams show the three-dimensional structure of a methane molecule: panel A uses a ball-and-stick model with a central carbon atom connected to four hydrogen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement, while panel B illustrates the bond angle of 109.5 degrees and bond length of 1.09 angstroms between carbon and hydrogen atoms. — chemical compound Methane, in which four hydrogen atoms are bound to a single carbon atom, is an example of a basic chemical compound. The structures of chemical compounds are influenced by complex factors, such as bond angles and bond length.

In the chemical compound [Co(NH₃)₆]Cl₃, there are six ammonia (NH₃) ligands surrounding the central cobalt ion.1

These six ammonia molecules are associated directly with the cobalt(3+) ion within the coordination sphere, while the three chloride anions remain outside this sphere to balance the positive charge. This arrangement gives the complex a coordination number of 6, which corresponds to an octahedral configuration.12