Q22 E - Chemistry (OpenStax)

Question

In addition to \({\rm{N}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{3}}}\), two other fluoro derivatives of nitrogen are known: \({{\rm{N}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{4}}}\) and \({{\rm{N}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{2}}}\). What shapes do you predict for these two molecules? What is the hybridization for the nitrogen in each molecule?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Nitrogens are \({\rm{s}}{{\rm{p}}^{\rm{3}}}\) hybridised in \({{\rm{N}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{4}}}\) and form a trigonal pyramidal structure.

Nitrogens in \({{\rm{N}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{2}}}\) are \({\rm{s}}{{\rm{p}}^{\rm{3}}}\) hybridised and have a bent form.

Step 1: Define molecule

A molecule is the smallest unit of a substance that holds the compound's chemical characteristics. Molecules are made up of atoms arranged in groups.

Step 2: Explanation

The nitrogen atoms in \({{\rm{N}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{4}}}\) are surrounded by four zones of electron density that form a tetrahedral electron-pair geometry. In a tetrahedral configuration, the hybridization is \({\rm{s}}{{\rm{p}}^{\rm{3}}}\). At each nitrogen, the molecular geometry will be trigonal pyramidal.

The nitrogen atoms in \({{\rm{N}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{F}}_{\rm{2}}}\) are surrounded by three electron density zones that are arranged in a trigonal planar electron-pair configuration. In a trigonal planar arrangement, the hybridization is \({\rm{s}}{{\rm{p}}^{\rm{3}}}\). Each nitrogen's molecular geometry will be bent.