Question

Identify the incorrect statement for $PC{l}_5$ from the following.

Answer 1

$PC{l}_5$

$\bullet$ Here phosphorus has 5 bond pairs and no lone pair of electrons.
So steric number = lone pairs of electrons + sigma bond pairs = 0 + 5 = 5.
Steric number 5 corresponds to $s{p}^{3}d$ hybridization.
$\bullet$ $s{p}^{3}d$ hybridization corresponds to trigonal bipyramidal geometry in which 3 bonds lie in an equatorial plane and the remaining bonds are aligned along the axis.
$\bullet$ Axial bonds are longer than equatorial bonds and since a longer bond is weaker than a shorter bond, axial bonds will be weaker than equatorial bonds.

Thus option C is incorrect.