The cis effect refers to the phenomenon in coordination chemistry where the presence of specific ligands in a square planar complex can influence the reactivity and stability of the complex, particularly during substitution reactions. This effect is crucial in understanding how geometric arrangement impacts ligand exchange dynamics, where ligands adjacent to each other (cis) can interact differently than those positioned opposite each other (trans). Understanding the cis effect allows chemists to predict reaction outcomes and design more effective catalysts.
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