how do we know that an element has a vacant d-orbital??
Asked by Sunil Soni | 13th Aug, 2015, 01:43: PM
Covalency of an element for example hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine is the total number of unpaired electrons in s or p orbitals.
Hydrogen for example (H®1s1) has only one unpaired electron and shows a covalency of one.
N atom (N→2s22px12py12pz1) has three unpaired electrons and shows a covalency of three.
O atom (O→2s22px22py12pz1) has two unpaired electrons and shows a covalency of two.
F atom (F→2s22px22py22pz1) has one unpaired electrons and shows a covalency of one.
If you observe these elements given above have only s and p orbitals in their valence shells and do not contain vacant d orbitals.
However elements like P, S, and Cl contain vacant d-orbitals and show different values of covalency in different covalent compounds.
It is called variable covalency and is due to the presence of vacant d-orbitals in the valency shell of these elements.
Some examples of elements showing different covalencies in compounds.
Elements
Different covalencies
Examples of Compounds
Halogens(Other than fluorine)
1
3
5
7
ICl
ICl3
ICl5
ICl7
Sulphur
2
4
6
SCl2
SF4
SF6
Phosphorus
3
5
PCl3
PCl5
Variable covalency of phosphorus of P atom (3,5)
P in Ground state : 3s2 3px1 3py1 3pz1

Phosphorus in its excited state: 3s1 3px1 3py1 3pz13d1

Covalency of an element for example hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine is the total number of unpaired electrons in s or p orbitals.
Hydrogen for example (H®1s1) has only one unpaired electron and shows a covalency of one.
N atom (N→2s22px12py12pz1) has three unpaired electrons and shows a covalency of three.
O atom (O→2s22px22py12pz1) has two unpaired electrons and shows a covalency of two.
F atom (F→2s22px22py22pz1) has one unpaired electrons and shows a covalency of one.
If you observe these elements given above have only s and p orbitals in their valence shells and do not contain vacant d orbitals.
However elements like P, S, and Cl contain vacant d-orbitals and show different values of covalency in different covalent compounds.
It is called variable covalency and is due to the presence of vacant d-orbitals in the valency shell of these elements.
Some examples of elements showing different covalencies in compounds.
Elements |
Different covalencies |
Examples of Compounds |
Halogens(Other than fluorine) |
1 3 5 7 |
ICl ICl3 ICl5 ICl7 |
Sulphur |
2 4 6 |
SCl2 SF4 SF6 |
Phosphorus |
3 5 |
PCl3 PCl5 |
Variable covalency of phosphorus of P atom (3,5)
P in Ground state : 3s2 3px1 3py1 3pz1
Phosphorus in its excited state: 3s1 3px1 3py1 3pz13d1
Answered by Vaibhav Chavan | 14th Aug, 2015, 08:36: AM
Related Videos
- What is Adsorption
- Sir , How can we compare the Electonegativty of Hybrid Orbitals . OR plz explain me how to write them in INC or DEC order
- Structure of Xef2
- formal charge on O3
- chemical bonding
- What is Py + Py bond
- Bonding for carbon tetrachloride
- What is hybridization
- why electron free in copper wire
- Calculate the number of sigma bonds and pi bonds in 2-propyl pent -1-ene?
Kindly Sign up for a personalised experience
- Ask Study Doubts
- Sample Papers
- Past Year Papers
- Textbook Solutions
Sign Up
Verify mobile number
Enter the OTP sent to your number
Change