Zeise's Salt

Zeise's Salt is a chemical compound that consists of a platinum metal center bonded to ethylenediamine (a type of organic molecule) and chloride ions. When it dissolves in water, it forms a solution where the platinum can interact with other molecules, especially unsaturated ones like ethylene (a simple hydrocarbon). Zeise's Salt is historically significant because it's one of the first discovered compounds demonstrating how metals can coordinate with organic molecules, laying the groundwork for the field of coordination chemistry. Its structure and bonding help scientists understand how metals can be used to catalyze chemical reactions.