Question

The space filling model of hydrogen cyanide and phosgene are shown below:

Use LE model to describe the bonding in hydrogen cyanide and phosgene.

Short answer

Firstly the Lewis structure is drawn and then the orientation of the atoms is determined using the VSEPR model. The Lewis structure of hydrogen cyanide is drawn below.

The carbon and the nitrogen is $\text{sp}$hybridized. The structure is linear.

The Lewis structure of phosgene is given below.

The carbon is sp²hybridized and the structure has trigonal planar geometry.

Step-by-step solution

Localised electron Model Of hydrogen cyanide

The Lewis structure of hydrogen cyanide is as follows

The carbon and the nitrogen is $\text{sp}$hybridized. The atoms are arranged linearly. Nitrogen has two sp hybrid orbitals. One sp orbital forms a sigma bond with carbon and the other sp orbital houses the lone pair of electron. The unhybridized orbital forms the two pi bonds. One of the two sp orbital of the carbon participates in sigma bonding with the nitrogen while the other participates in sigma bonding with hydrogen.

Localised electron model of phosgene

The Lewis structure of phosgene is given below.

The central carbon is ${\text{sp}}^{\text{2}}$ hybridized. The arrangement of electrons is in trigonal planar form. The oxygen is ${\text{sp}}^{\text{2}}$ hybridized. Out of the three hybrid orbitals, two orbitals participate in sigma bonding with chlorine and the other one forms sigma bond with the oxygen. The unhybridized p orbital helps in forming the pi bond between carbon and oxygen. The other two ${\text{sp}}^{\text{2}}$ hybrid orbitals of oxygen house the two lone pairs of electrons.