Question

Methyl isocyanate, is an intermediate in the manufacture of many pesticides. It received notoriety in 1984 when a leak from a manufacturing plant resulted in the death of more than 2000 people in Bhopal, India. What are the hybridizations of the N atom and the two C atoms in methyl isocyanate? Sketch the molecular shape.

Short answer

In hybridization, the number of hybrid orbitals formed is equal to the number of electron groups bonded to the central atom.

Step-by-step solution

For hybridization of the N atom and the two C atoms

The Lewis dot structure of methyl isocyanate shows that the N-atom is surrounded by a 2bond pair and 1 lone pair which forms an${\mathbf{sp}}^2$hybrid orbital.

The C- atom of C=O is surrounded by two bond pairs which form an sp hybrid orbital.

The C-atom ofC-N is surrounded by four bond pair which forms an ${\mathbf{sp}}^{\mathbf{3}}$hybrid orbital.

For the molecular shape of methyl isocyanate

The left carbon atom in methyl isocyanate is bonded with four bonds which give a tetrahedral shapewhereas the right-side carbon atom having two double bonds gives the linear geometry.