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Question

What is the Hybridization of HgCl2?


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Solution

Hybridization:-

  • The process of combining the atomic orbitals to produce new orbitals (hybrid orbitals) of varying energies and shapes than the initial orbitals, is called hybridization.

VSEPR theory:-

  • VSEPR stands for, Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory.
  • In 1940, Sidgwick and Powell proposed this theory on the basis of the repulsion interaction of the electron pairs in the valence shell of the atoms.
  • Basically from this theory we can calculate the number of electrons pairs present in a molecule with the help of this formula : 12×[V+N-C+A]
  • Here, V= the number of valence electrons present in the central atom, N= total number of monovalent atoms, C= cationic charge, and A= anionic charge.

Hybridisation of Mercury (II) chloride using VSEPR theory:-

  • In Mercury (II) chloride HgCl2, there are 2 Chlorine atoms that are linked with 1 Mercury atom.
  • Electronic configuration of Mercury is1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d105p66s24f145d10, hence it has 2 valence electrons in its outermost shell.
  • Here Chlorine is the monovalent atom as its valency is 1.
  • So according to the formula, for calculating electron pair, the values of V= 2 (Mercury has 2 valence electrons), N= 2(as there are 2 Chlorine monovalent atom is present), and C= 0 and A=0 (No cations or anions are present in Mercury (II) chloride, hence charge is 0).
  • Putting the values in the formula we get the number of electron pair

=12×[V+N-C+A]=12×[2+2-0+0]=12×4=2

  • Here total of 2 electron pairs are present, and both of them are bond pairs (Hg-Cl)
  • Now since there are 2 electron pairs present, the hybridization will be sp, so its shape will be linear:

Therefore, the hybridisation of HgCl2 is sp.


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