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NEET CHEMISTRYOrganic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles and Techniques Medium

Question

In which of the following pairs, both the species are not isostructural?

A

SiCl4,PCl4+\text{SiCl}_4, \text{PCl}_4^+

B

Diamond, silicon carbide

C

NH3,PH3\text{NH}_3, \text{PH}_3

D

XeF4,XeO4\text{XeF}_4, \text{XeO}_4

Step-by-Step Solution

To determine if species are isostructural, we need to check their geometry or shape based on VSEPR theory and hybridisation:

  • SiCl4\text{SiCl}_4 and PCl4+\text{PCl}_4^+: Silicon in SiCl4\text{SiCl}_4 has 4 valence electrons, forming 4 bond pairs with 0 lone pairs (sp3sp^3, tetrahedral). Phosphorus in PCl4+\text{PCl}_4^+ has 5 valence electrons, but a +1 charge leaves 4 electrons; it forms 4 bond pairs with 0 lone pairs (sp3sp^3, tetrahedral). They are isostructural.
  • Diamond and Silicon carbide (SiC): Both possess a giant three-dimensional network structure where each atom is sp3sp^3 hybridised and tetrahedrally bonded to four other atoms. They are isostructural.
  • NH3\text{NH}_3 and PH3\text{PH}_3: Both central atoms belong to Group 15, having 5 valence electrons. They form 3 bond pairs and have 1 lone pair. Both possess a trigonal pyramidal shape. They are isostructural.
  • XeF4\text{XeF}_4 and XeO4\text{XeO}_4: Xenon in XeF4\text{XeF}_4 has 8 valence electrons, forming 4 single bonds with fluorine and leaving 2 lone pairs. Its steric number is 6 (sp3d2sp^3d^2), and its shape is square planar. Xenon in XeO4\text{XeO}_4 forms 4 double bonds with oxygen using all 8 of its valence electrons, leaving 0 lone pairs. Its steric number is 4 (sp3sp^3), and its shape is tetrahedral. Therefore, they are not isostructural.

Exam Context & Concepts Covered

This question aligns with the NEET CHEMISTRY syllabus, specifically targeting concepts from Organic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles and Techniques . 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.

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