Phosphorus contains 5 electrons of valence. Therefore, PCl5 molecules have sp3d hybridization and therefore a trigonal bipyramidal structure, 1 electron each is shared by chlorine atom. If seen, it has a pyramidal structure in which phosphorus is hybridised with sp3d.
PCl5 structure: In gaseous and liquid phases, it has a trigonal bipyramidal structure. While the two axial bonds are longer than equatorial bonds, the three equatorial P-Cl bonds are similar.
The five orbitals are free for hybridization, namely 1s, 3p, and 1d. A set of 5sp3d hybrid orbitals guided to the 5 corners of a trigonal bipyramidal can therefore be obtained (VSEPR theory). The 5sp3d phosphorus orbitals in PCl5 overlap with the p orbitals of chlorine atoms. P orbitals are occupied separately.
