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NEET CHEMISTRYChemical Bonding and Molecular StructureEasy

Question

BF3BF_3 is a planar and an electron-deficient compound. Hybridisation and the number of electrons around the central atom, respectively, are:

A

sp2sp^2 and 6

B

sp2sp^2 and 8

C

sp3sp^3 and 4

D

sp3sp^3 and 6

Step-by-Step Solution

According to the principles of chemical bonding and molecular structure:

  1. Electronic Configuration: Boron (BB, atomic number 5) has the electronic configuration 1s22s22p11s^2 2s^2 2p^1 . In its excited state, one electron from the 2s2s orbital is promoted to a 2p2p orbital, providing three unpaired electrons .
  2. Hybridisation: These three orbitals (one ss and two pp) intermix to form three equivalent sp2sp^2 hybrid orbitals .
  3. Geometry: These sp2sp^2 hybrid orbitals are oriented in a trigonal planar arrangement with bond angles of 120120^\circ .
  4. Electron Count: Boron forms three sigma bonds with three fluorine atoms. Each bond consists of a shared pair of electrons, resulting in a total of 6 valence electrons around the central boron atom .
  5. Electron Deficiency: Since the boron atom has only 6 electrons in its valence shell, it does not complete its octet, which explains why BF3BF_3 is an electron-deficient compound and acts as a Lewis acid .

Therefore, the hybridisation is sp2sp^2 and the number of electrons around the central atom is 6.

Exam Context & Concepts Covered

This question aligns with the NEET CHEMISTRY syllabus, specifically targeting concepts from Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure. Mastering this topic is crucial for scoring well in the upcoming medical entrance examinations. Solving conceptually related problems will help you understand the nuances of these concepts and improve your problem-solving speed.

CHEMISTRYChemical Bonding and Molecular Structureplanarelectrondeficientcompoundhybridisationnumber

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