Iodine TetraFluoride and its Hybridization According to VESPER Theory

IF3:

To find the shape and geometry of IF3, let’s do the electronic configuration of iodine.

I= 5s² 5px² 5py² 5pz²

Iodine is the central atom so hybridization will occur at the central atom iodine. In iodine, the electrons present in the 5py orbital will shift to the 5dx orbital. So. There will be 3 vacated orbitals.

Excited state configuration of iodine: 5s² 5px¹ 5py¹ 5pz¹ 5d_x2¹

 These 3 vacated orbitals will form bonds with three atoms of fluorine. In fluorine, the 2pz orbital is unpaired so it’ll form a bond with three unpaired electrons of iodine. These three unpaired electrons in the valance shell of iodine will form 3 sigma bonds. The no. of lone pairs left in the valance shell will be 2. The total no. of electron pairs will be 5. So, therefore the hybridization type will be sp₃d. Geometry will be T-shaped. The two F-atom are present at the axial positions and one at the equatorial position.

Diagram:

Name of compounds	Iodine trifluoride
Hybridization	Sp3d
Bond Angle	88.5◦
Electron Pair	5
Bond Pair	3
Lone Pair	2
Geometry	T-shaped

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