2 thoughts on “34. Monday, November 30, 2009

  1. chem111-mjknapp Post author

    Mike,
    I think that my answer is correct. Cl has four regions of electron density (three lone pairs, one bonding pair) – therefore it needs to have four hybridized orbitals. Ergo sp3.

    However, you are pushing into a limitation of Valence Bond theory – namely, the imposition of hybridization schemes when they might (or might not) be needed. So your intuitive response (that Cl uses a 3p orbital to form a sigma bond to C) could be a totally valid way of describing the bonding if we were to use the language of Molecular Orbital Theory.

  2. Michael X Donovan

    Dear Prof. For Question 1 of Chapter 9 you say that in CHCl3 that between C-Cl bond it is sp3 of Carbon overlaping with sp3 of Cl. I believe this is incorrect. I think it is sp3 of C and 3p of Cl. Is this right? Thanks.

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