Chelate Effect with a Bag Closure

(first posted elsewhwere on my websites on 3-18-12)

 

Polydentate ("chelating") ligands have more than one point of connection to a metal center and tend to bind more strongly to those metals than monodentate ligands (which only have more than one point of connection). This can be illustrated with a plastic bag closure (see: http://www.kwiklok.com/kwik-lok-bag-closures.php). The two hook-like edges of the closure hold the bag closed more effectively than half a closure, which has only one hook.

 

ABOVE: The two hook-like edges of a bag closure (LEFT) hold the bag closed more effectively than half a closure, which has only one hook (RIGHT).