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Complex Ion Formation and Formation Constant Kf

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A complex ion forms when a metal ion, a Lewis acid, bonds several Lewis-base ligands, and Kf measures how far that equilibrium favors the complex.

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Ag+ + 2 NH3 ⇌ Ag(NH3)2+ has a large Kf, so the complex strongly predominates once ammonia is present.

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A large Kf mirrors a large Ka or K — it describes the equilibrium's extent, not its speed.