Coordination complexes are ionic compounds composed of a complex ion connected to what we call a counter ion to maintain neutrality. Now recall that an ionic compound is written as cation first and anion second, in our coordination complex one, which we have here, the complex ion equals a cation and is written first. So if we take a look here at this structure, how do we spot the portion that is the complex ion? Remember, key giveaway is that complex ions are always written in brackets. So this portion in brackets represents our complex ion. It is just a portion of the coordination complex overall.
So if that's the complex ion, what does the Cl represent? Well, the Cl here represents our counter ion. Cl is in group 7A. So it's minus one again, it is our counter ion. And we're gonna say here, where did this three originate? Well, it came from the complex ion. So basically, we crisscross the charges. So our complex ion was in brackets and [NH3]4, it is a cation here since it's written first. So it was three plus. So this is our complex ion.
Now over here, on the other side, we have what we have our complex ion two in the complex ion two, the complex ion is the anion and it's written second, it is the portion again, that's in brackets here. Lithium represents our counter ion. Lithium is in group 1A. So it's plus one and then this two, it originates from the complex ion. The complex ion is an anion here. So that two was part of two minus. So this would be our complex ion.
So just remember the entire structure itself for both those are coordination complexes. The coordination complex is composed of its complex ion which has a charge. And then the counter ion which has an opposing charge overall, combining these two gives us a neutral ionic compound otherwise known as our coordination complex.