Describe the hybridisation in case of PCl5. Why are the axial bonds longer as compared to equatorial bonds?
Describe the hybridisation in case of PCl5. Why are the axial bonds longer as compared to equatorial bonds?
The ground state and excited state outer electronic configurations of phosphorus (Z = 15) are:
Excited state:
Phosphorus atom is sp3d hybridized in the excited state. These orbitals are filled by the electron pairs donated by five Cl atoms as: PCl5
The five sp3d hybrid orbitals are directed towards the five corners of the trigonal bipyramidals. Hence, the geometry of PCl5 can be represented as:
There are five P–Cl sigma bonds in PCl5. Three P–Cl bonds lie in one plane and make an angle of 120∘ with each other. These bonds are called equatorial bonds.
The remaining two P–Cl bonds lie above and below the equatorial plane and make an angle of 90∘ with the plane. These bonds are called axial bonds.
As the axial bond pairs suffer more repulsion from the equatorial bond pairs, axial bonds are slightly longer than equatorial bonds.
The ground state and excited state outer electronic configurations of phosphorus (Z = 15) are:
Excited state:
Phosphorus atom is sp3d hybridized in the excited state. These orbitals are filled by the electron pairs donated by five Cl atoms as: PCl5
The five sp3d hybrid orbitals are directed towards the five corners of the trigonal bipyramidals. Hence, the geometry of PCl5 can be represented as:
There are five P–Cl sigma bonds in PCl5. Three P–Cl bonds lie in one plane and make an angle of 120∘ with each other. These bonds are called equatorial bonds.
The remaining two P–Cl bonds lie above and below the equatorial plane and make an angle of 90∘ with the plane. These bonds are called axial bonds.
As the axial bond pairs suffer more repulsion from the equatorial bond pairs, axial bonds are slightly longer than equatorial bonds.
