Inorganic Chemistry> PF2Cl3 have zero dipole moment while PCl2...

PF2Cl3 have zero dipole moment while PCl2F3 have non zero dipole moment. Why?

Kumud Oberoi , 8 Years ago

Grade 12th pass

2 Answers

Bhavya

Last Activity: 8 Years ago

Dear student
The answer lies in structure.According to bent’s rule more electronegative element occupies axial postion in sp3d hybridisation. 505-1015_120px-Phosphorus-trichloride-difluoride-2D.png
505-1963_download (1).png
Thus dipole moment cancels out in PCl3F2 whereas it is non-zero in PCl2F3.

Kushagra Madhukar

Last Activity: 4 Years ago

Dear student,

Please find the answer to your problem below.

It is to be known that both the mentioned compounds have sp3d hybridisation.

Now we know that more electronegative element occupies axial postion in sp3d hybridisation, which in our case is F.

Hence, In PF₂Cl₃, both the F occupies the opposite axial forces and the 3 Cl lies in the same plane inclined equally to each other. Due to which the net dipole moment becomes 0 as all the dipole moment gets cancelled out.

While In PCl₂F₃ both axial positions are occupied by F and one planar position is occupied by the third F. The two Cl atoms also lie in the planar position. Now due to this unsymmetry and the fact that Cl and F both have different individual dipole moment, PCl₂F₃ comes out to have a net resultant dipole moment.

Thanks and regards,

Kushagra