2024 Re-NEET Chemical Bonding and Molecular StructureStructure and hybridisation of PCl5 Medium Question 13 of 108 in Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure

Identify the incorrect statement about $PCl_5$.

A $PCl_5$ possesses two different Cl – P – Cl bond angles
B All five P – Cl bonds are identical in length
C $PCl_5$ exhibits $sp^3d$ hybridisation
D $PCl_5$ consists of five P – Cl (sigma) bonds

The answer is B.

Solution

$PCl_5$ has trigonal bipyramidal geometry with $sp^3d$ hybridisation, five P–Cl sigma bonds, and two distinct bond angles ($90^\circ$ axial-equatorial and $120^\circ$ equatorial-equatorial). The three equatorial bonds are shorter than the two axial bonds, so all five P–Cl bonds are NOT identical in length — this statement is incorrect.

Concept Structure and hybridisation of PCl5

Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure in past papers

108 questions from this chapter have appeared across 27 exam years.