A coordination compound in which six ammonia molecules are bonded to a central metal atom, often used in analytical chemistry.
From 'hex-' (six) + 'ammine' (the proper chemical term for ammonia ligands in coordination complexes). The spelling 'ammine' with double-m distinguishes it from the English word 'amine'.
Hexammine complexes of platinum and cobalt were crucial in the early days of coordination chemistry—they helped chemists understand that metal atoms could hold multiple identical groups around them in precise geometric arrangements.
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