Question

Give the expected hybridization for the molecular structure illustrated below:

Short answer

Hybridization results in the formation of hybrid orbitals from combination of pure atomic orbitals. There are specific geometries of molecules corresponding to different hybridization. So, hybridization of a molecule can be predicted from the shape or geometry of the molecule.

1. ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}$
2. ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}\text{d}$
3. ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}$
4. ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}\text{d}$
5. ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}$

Step-by-step solution

Geometry of the structure

The geometry of each structure is:

1. Tetrahedral geometry
2. Trigonal bipyramidal geometry
3. Tetrahedral geometry
4. Trigonalbipyramidal geometry
5. Tetrahedral geometry

Predicting hybridization from geometry

1. The shape of the molecule is bent. The hybridization is ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}$ . example of such kind of hybridization is water which contains two sigma bonds and two lone pairs.
2. The shape of the molecule is see-saw. This indicates trigonalbipyramidal geometry and the presence of lone pair. The hybridization is ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}\text{d}$. An example of such kind of molecule is ${\text{SF}}_{\text{4}}$.
3. The shape of the molecule is trigonalbipyramid. This indicates ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}$ hybridization. An example of such kind of hybridization is ${\text{NH}}_{\text{3}}$.
4. The geometry of the compound is trigonalbipyramid. The geometry of the compound is ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}\text{d}$. An example of such kind of hybridization is ${\text{PCl}}_{\text{5}}$.
5. The geometry of the structure is tetrahedral. The hybridization is ${\text{sp}}^{\text{3}}$. An example of such kind of molecule is ${\text{CH}}_{\text{4}}$.