Question

Why Halogens are less reactive than Interhalogen compounds?

Answer 1

Halogens compounds:

• Halogens are nonmetallic elements.
• Fluorine and chlorine were gases at room temperature, whereas bromine is a liquid. Solids include iodine and astatine.
• From fluorine through astatine, halogens have high reactivity.

Interhalogens compounds:

• When the components of the halogen group react with one another, interhalogen compounds are created.
• It's a molecule made up of two or more group $17$elements.

Reason for Interhalogen compounds having more reactivity than Halogens:

• Since the overlapping between orbitals of different atoms is less successful in interhalogens than in halogens, the $\mathrm{X}-\mathrm{X}$ bond is weaker than in halogens.
• Interhalogen compounds have lower bond energies than halogens because orbitals of different atoms overlap less effectively.
• Interhalogen bonds are weaker than diatomic halogen bonds except for Fluorine ${\mathrm{F}}_2$. It is due to their differences in electronegativities.
• A substance like $\mathrm{ICl}$ is more reactive than Iodine $\left({\mathrm{I}}_2\right)$ because the electronegativity difference polarises the bond between Iodine and Chlorine$\left({\mathrm{Cl}}_2\right)$ and therefore breaks more easily compared with Iodine.
• Interhalogen compounds have a far higher electric conductivity than halogens in solid and liquid form.