Term: agostic interaction
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.AT06984

Definition:
The manner of interaction (termed according to the Greek 'to hold or clasp to oneself as a shield') of a coordinatively unsaturated metal atom with a ligand, when the metal atom draws the ligand towards itself. An important type of agostic interaction is the C–H–Metal coordination providing for the activation of the C–H bond in transition metal complexes.

Related Terms:
1) agostic (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00187).
2) coordination (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01329).
3) activation (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00093).

Source: PAC, 1999, 71, 1919. 'Glossary of terms used in theoretical organic chemistry' on page 1922 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199971101919)

Citation: 'agostic interaction' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.AT06984

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.