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Chapter 22: Problem 38

Why is the \(\mathrm{P}_{4}\) molecule unstable?

Short Answer

Expert verified
P4 is unstable due to both the strain caused by electron repulsion in its tetrahedral structure which prevents minimization of repulsion between electron pairs as well as its bond angles that deviate significantly from the ideal angle for sp3 hybridized atoms.

Step by step solution

01

Electron configuration and Lewis structure

Firstly, the electron configuration of a Phosphorus atom is [Ne]3s^23p^3. This gives it five valence electrons, one for each bond in P4 and one lone pair. In the P4 molecule, each Phosphorus atom is connected to three other Phosphorus atoms, forming a tetrahedral structure. In the Lewis structure, we would demonstrate that each Phosphorus atom forms single bonds with three other Phosphorus atoms and contains one lone pair.
02

Instability due to strain

This tetrahedral structure of P4 experiences a lot of strain due to repulsion between the bonding pairs and lone pair of electrons. This is due to the lone pair - bond pair repulsion being greater than the bond pair – bond pair repulsion. According to VSPER theory, molecules will shape themselves to minimize repulsion, but in the case of P4, this isn't possible due to its structure. This results in the molecule being highly strained, and therefore unstable.
03

Other contributing factors

Additionally, although P4 possesses a high degree of symmetry, which normally aids stability, it also features bond angles of 60° which are far from the ideal bond angle of 109.5° matched to sp3 hybridization. This significant deviation from the ideal bond angle adds to the strain experienced by the molecule and reduces its stability.

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