he explained the existence of two tetrammine isomers, "Co(NH3)4Cl3", one green and one purple. Werner proposed that these are two geometric isomers of formula [Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl, with one Cl− ion dissociated as confirmed by conductivity measurements. The Co atom is surrounded by four NH3 and two Cl ligands at the vertices of an octahedron. The green isomer is "trans" with the two Cl ligands at opposite vertices, and the purple is "cis" with the two Cl at adjacent vertices. Werner also prepared complexes with optical isomers, and in 1914 he reported the first synthetic chiral compound lacking carbon, known as hexol with formula [Co(Co(NH3)4(OH)2)3]Br6. Nature of valence Before Werner, chemists defined the valence of an element as the number of its bonds without distinguishing different types of bond. However, in complexes such as [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 for example, Werner considered that the Co-Cl bonds correspond to a "primary" valence of 3 at long distance, while the Co-NH3 bonds which correspond to a "secondary" or weaker valence of 6 at shorter distance. This secondary valence of 6 he referred to as the coordination number which he defined as the number of molecules (here of NH3) directly linked to the central metal atom. In other complexes he found coordination numbers of 4 or 8. On these views, and other similar views, in 1904 Richard Abegg formulated what is now known as Abegg's rule which states that the difference between the maximum positive and negative valence of an element is frequently eight. This rule was used later in 1916 when Gilbert N. Lewis formulated the "octet rule" in his cubical atom theory. In modern terminology Werner's primary valence corresponds to the oxidation state, and his secondary valence is called coordination number. The Co-Cl bonds (in the above example) are now classed as ionic, and each Co-N bond is a coordinate covalent bond between the Lewis acid Co3+ and the Lewis base NH3. Works Lehrbuch der Stereochemie . Fischer, Jena 1904 Digital edition by the University and State Library Düsseldorf References External links including the Nobel Lecture, 11 December 1913 On the Constitution and Configuration of Higher-Order Compounds The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1913 - short article about his work on the linkage of atoms in molecules by which he has thrown new light on earlier investigations and opened up new fields of research especially in inorganic chemistry. 1866 births 1919 deaths Scientists from Mulhouse Inorganic chemists