What is the spatial orientation of sp³d³ hybrid orbitals?

The spatial arrangement of sp³d³ hybrid orbitals is pentagonal bipyramidal.

Example:

Iodine heptafluoride (IF₇):

The electronic configuration of the Iodine atom in the ground state is [Kr]4d¹⁰5s²5p⁵.

Since the formation of IF₇ requires 7 unpaired electrons, the iodine atom promotes three of its electrons (one from 5s orbital and two from 5p sublevel) into empty 5d orbitals. This state is referred to as the third excited state.

• The iodine atom undergoes sp³d³ hybridization in the third excited state to give 7 half-filled sp³d³ hybrid orbitals in pentagonal bipyramidal symmetry. These will form 7 σ_sp3_d3_-p bonds with fluorine atoms.
• Thus, the shape of IF₇ is pentagonal bipyramidal.