ammine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “ammine” mean?
A compound formed by the coordination of ammonia (NH₃) or an amine with a metal ion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A compound formed by the coordination of ammonia (NH₃) or an amine with a metal ion.
In coordination chemistry, a specific type of ligand complex where ammonia or an amine is directly bonded to a central metal atom via the nitrogen's lone pair of electrons. It is a subclass of coordination compounds.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant usage differences in meaning, spelling, or pronunciation. The term is uniformly technical.
Connotations
Purely scientific, with no regional connotative differences.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, confined to specialized chemistry literature and education.
Grammar
How to Use “ammine” in a Sentence
[metal] ammine [halide/salt]hexaammine[metal] [ion]tetraammine copper(II) sulfateVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ammine” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The copper ion can ammine readily in aqueous ammonia.
American English
- The cobalt(III) chloride was ammined to form the complex.
adverb
British English
- The ligand binds ammine-like to the metal centre.
American English
- The compound decomposed ammine-ly under acidic conditions.
adjective
British English
- The ammine ligands were easily displaced by cyanide.
American English
- They studied the ammine complexes of nickel.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in advanced chemistry textbooks, research papers, and lectures on coordination chemistry.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Core term in inorganic chemistry for describing specific metal-ligand complexes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ammine”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ammine”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ammine”
- Misspelling as 'amine'.
- Using it as a general term for any nitrogen-containing compound.
- Incorrect pluralisation (ammines, not ammineses).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
An 'amine' is an organic compound derived from ammonia by replacing one or more hydrogen atoms with organic groups (e.g., methylamine, CH₃NH₂). An 'ammine' is an inorganic coordination compound where ammonia (NH₃) itself is bonded as a ligand to a metal ion.
No, it is a very low-frequency, highly technical term used almost exclusively in the field of inorganic chemistry.
In technical jargon, it can be used verbally to describe the process of forming an ammine complex (e.g., 'to ammine a metal salt'), but this usage is rare and confined to specialist literature.
In British English, it is typically /ˈæmiːn/ (AM-een). In American English, both /ˈæmin/ (AM-in) and /əˈmin/ (uh-MEEN) are acceptable, with the former being more common.
A compound formed by the coordination of ammonia (NH₃) or an amine with a metal ion.
Ammine is usually technical/scientific in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'AMMonIa' + 'mINE' (as in, a metal mine). An AMMINE is where ammonia is 'mined' or bound to a metal.
Conceptual Metaphor
A HOST-GUEST relationship. The metal ion is the host, and the ammonia molecule is a guest that donates its lone pair to form a bond.
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining characteristic of an ammine?