Question

Predict the molecular shape of ${\mathrm{OF}}_2$.

Answer 1

Oxygen difluoride:

1. Oxygen difluoride is a colorless toxic gas with a chemical formula${\mathrm{OF}}_2$.
2. The central atom is oxygen and is surrounded by two fluorine atoms.
3. For finding out its geometry, we have to calculate the lone pair on the central atom i.e. Oxygen. Lone pair$=\frac{\mathrm{Number}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{valence}\mathrm{electron}-\mathrm{Number}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{bonded}\mathrm{atoms}}{2}$
4. Electronic configuration of oxygen$=1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^4$ i.e. valence electron$=6$
5. Lone pair$=\frac{6-2}{2}\Rightarrow 2$
6. Hybridization is given by the formula$=$Number of lone pair$+$Number of atoms attached
7. Hybridization of ${\mathrm{OF}}_2=2+2\Rightarrow 4$ i.e. it is ${\mathrm{sp}}^3$hybridized.
8. If a molecule includes ${\mathrm{sp}}^3$ hybridization and two lone pairs of electrons, the shape of the molecule is bent, and the electron geometry is tetrahedral, according to the Valence shell electron pair repulsion theory.
9. Two lone pairs on the central atom, causes repulsion with bonded pairs of electrons giving it a bent shape.

Therefore, the molecular shape of ${\mathrm{OF}}_2$ is bent.