An ab initio molecular orbital study was performed to determine the effects of anions and cations on the π-complexation of C_2H_4 on MX(M=Ag, Cu; X=F, Cl). The calculated results show the following order of adsorption strength: F ->Cl - for anions; Cu +>Ag + for cations. The results can be explained by the detailed analysis of atomic charge, orbital energy and orbital population by using the natural bond orbital(NBO) theory: (1) anions with stronger electronegativity can attract more electrons from the s orbital of M, while at the same time it does not obviously weaken the d orbital occupation of M, thus the nearly vacant s orbital and the sufficiently filled d orbitals of M help with forming σ-donation and d-π * backdonation with the π orbital and the π * orbital of olefin, respectively; (2) a smaller energy gap of symmetry-adapted orbitals between olefin and a cation can favor the electron transfer, that is why Cu + forms stronger adsorption with olefin than Ag + does. An ab initio molecular orbital study was performed to determine the effects of anions and cations on the π-complexation of C_2H_4 on MX (M = Ag, Cu; X = F, Cl). The calculated results show the following order of adsorption strength: F -> Cl - for anions; Cu +> Ag + for cations. The results can be explained by the detailed analysis of atomic charge, orbital energy and orbital population by using the natural bond orbital (NBO) theory: (1) anions with stronger electronegativity can attract more electrons from the s orbital of M, while at the same time it does not obviously weaken the d orbital occupation of M, thus the nearly vacant s orbital and the tiny filled d orbitals of M help with forming σ-donation and d-π * backdonation with the π orbital and the π * orbital of olefin, respectively; (2) a smaller energy gap of symmetry-adapted orbitals between olefin and a cation can favor the electron transfer, that is why Cu + forms stronger adsorption with olefin than Ag + does.