Which pair of the following compounds has one lone pair of electrons on the central atom?
A
SF4, BrF5
B
SF4, ClF3
C
ClF3, XeF4
D
XeF4, BrF5
Step-by-Step Solution
Method: To find the number of lone pairs on the central atom, calculate the valence electrons remaining after bond formation. Lone Pairs = (Valence electrons of central atom - Valency of surrounding atoms) / 2.
Analyze SF4: Sulfur (Group 16) has 6 valence electrons. It forms 4 sigma bonds with Fluorine. Remaining electrons = 6−4=2. Thus, it has 1 lone pair .
Analyze BrF5: Bromine (Group 17) has 7 valence electrons. It forms 5 sigma bonds with Fluorine. Remaining electrons = 7−5=2. Thus, it has 1 lone pair .
Analyze ClF3: Chlorine (Group 17) has 7 valence electrons. It forms 3 sigma bonds with Fluorine. Remaining electrons = 7−3=4. Thus, it has 2 lone pairs .
Analyze XeF4: Xenon (Group 18) has 8 valence electrons. It forms 4 sigma bonds with Fluorine. Remaining electrons = 8−4=4. Thus, it has 2 lone pairs .
Conclusion: Both SF4 and BrF5 have exactly one lone pair on the central atom.
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