What is the process of binding a metal to a charged or uncharged electron donor molecule called?

The process of binding a metal to a charged or uncharged electron donor molecule is known as chelation. Chelation involves the formation of a stable complex between a metal ion and a ligand, which is a molecule that can donate one or more pairs of electrons to the metal. This interaction results in a coordinated compound, where the metal ion is effectively surrounded by the ligand molecules.

In chelation, the ligand typically has multiple donor atoms that can simultaneously bond to the metal ion, forming a ring-like structure. This process is important in various biological and chemical systems, such as in the detoxification of heavy metals in living organisms or in the formation of metal-based drugs.

While other terms like ionization, atomization, and ligand exchange may relate to aspects of chemistry and interactions involving metals and molecules, they do not accurately describe the specific process of forming stable complexes with metal ions by using electron donor molecules. Ionization refers to the process of forming ions, atomization deals with breaking down substances into individual atoms, and ligand exchange pertains to the replacement of one ligand with another in a complex, but does not capture the binding that occurs in the chelation process.