- Aand
- Band
- Cand
- Dand
View written solutionFree
Correct answer: C
-
Use VSEPR theory to determine shapes from the steric number:
-
We need the pair whose geometries are, respectively:
- first species: -shape
- second species: square pyramidal
Option A: and
(i)
- Central atom:
- Valence electrons on
- It forms 3 bonds with , leaving 2 lone pairs.
- So total electron pairs around
Thus electron pair geometry is trigonal bipyramidal, with 2 equatorial lone pairs. Hence molecular shape is:
(ii)
- Central atom:
- It is analogous to perchlorate-type tetraoxo species.
- Around iodine there are 4 bonded oxygens and no lone pair in the usual VSEPR description.
So geometry is:
This is not square pyramidal.
❌ Option A is incorrect.
Option B: and
(i)
- Central atom:
- Total electron pairs around iodine = 5 (2 bond pairs + 3 lone pairs)
- Electron pair geometry: trigonal bipyramidal
- Molecular shape:
So first species is not -shaped.
(ii)
- 5 bond pairs and 1 lone pair around iodine
- Steric number = 6
- Electron pair geometry: octahedral
- Molecular shape:
Second is correct, first is not.
❌ Option B is incorrect.
Option C: and
(i)
- Central atom:
- Xenon has 8 valence electrons.
- It forms 3 sigma bonds total: one with O and two with F.
- In VSEPR, the double bond counts as one electron domain.
- So total bonded domains = 3
- Remaining lone pairs on Xe = 2
Thus steric number:
Electron pair geometry: trigonal bipyramidal. With 2 lone pairs occupying equatorial positions, the molecular shape becomes:
(ii)
- Central atom:
- Bonded domains: 5 (one and four bonds)
- Lone pairs on Xe = 1
Thus steric number:
Electron pair geometry: octahedral. With one lone pair, molecular shape is:
Both match the required shapes.
✅ Option C is correct.
Option D: and
(i)
- Central atom:
- 3 bonded domains and 1 lone pair
- Steric number = 4
- Shape:
So it is not -shaped.
(ii)
- Around iodine there are 4 bonded atoms and likely 1 lone pair
- This would lead to trigonal bipyramidal electron arrangement and a seesaw-type/distorted structure, not square pyramidal.
❌ Option D is incorrect.
Final Answer
The required pair is:
This matches the stored correct answer.
More from Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
- In the molecular orbital diagram for the molecular ion, , the number of electrons in the 2pz molecular orbital is :2018 · MCQ
- In hydrogen azide (above) the bond orders of bond (I) and (II) are : Includes diagram2018 · MCQ
- Which of the following best describes the diagram below of a molecular orbital ? Includes diagram2018 · MCQ
- The incorrect geometry is represented by :2018 · MCQ
- Which of the following conversions involves change in both shape and hybridisation ?2018 · MCQ
- Which of the following compounds contain(s) no covalent bond(s)? , , , , 2018 · MCQ
- Total number of lone pair of electrons in ion is2018 · MCQ
- According to molecular orbital theory, which of the following will not be a viable molecule?2018 · MCQ