Question

Which of the following statement is correct about diborane?

• A. It is used as a flux for soldering metal.
• B. It is a crystalline form of silica.
• C. It has banana bonds present in structure.
• D. It is used as catalyst in petrochemical industries.

Answer 1

The correct option is C It has banana bonds present in structure.

The simplest boride hydride known is Diborane. It is colourless and highly toxic gas and catches fire spontaneously upon exposure to air. Having used two electrons in bonding to the terminal hydrogen atoms, each boron has one valence electron remaining for additional bonding. The bridging hydrogen atoms provide one electron each. Thus the B₂H₂ ring is held together by four electrons, an example of 3-center 2-electron bonding. This type of bond is sometimes called a 'banana bond'.