Chapter 5: Problem 45

Explain different types of bond formation in \(\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{~N} \rightarrow \mathrm{BF}_{3}\)

Short Answer

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Answer: The bond formation in the reaction between ammonia and boron trifluoride involves sigma bonds within the ammonia and boron trifluoride molecules and one coordinate covalent bond between the nitrogen atom of ammonia and the boron atom of boron trifluoride. The resulting molecule is ammonium boron trifluoride or ammonium fluoride boron complex (\(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\mathrm{BF}_{3}\)).

Step by step solution

Identify the molecules involved in the reaction

In this reaction, we have ammonia (\(\mathrm{H}_{3}\mathrm{N}\)) and boron trifluoride (\(\mathrm{BF}_{3}\)). Ammonia is a neutral molecule with a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom. Boron trifluoride is also a neutral molecule, but its central boron atom has an empty p-orbital.

Understand the electron configuration of the atoms

For ammonia, nitrogen is the central atom, bonded to three hydrogen atoms. Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons, and it shares 3 electrons with 3 hydrogen atoms to form 3 sigma bonds (single covalent bonds). The remaining 2 electrons on the nitrogen atom form a lone pair. For boron trifluoride, boron has 3 valence electrons, and it forms three sigma bonds with three fluorine atoms. Each fluorine shares one of its seven valence electrons with boron. However, since there is no additional electron on the boron atom, its p-orbital remains empty.

Formation of coordinate covalent bond

When ammonia and boron trifluoride come in close proximity, the nitrogen atom of ammonia donates its lone pair of electrons into the empty p-orbital of the boron atom in boron trifluoride. This type of bonding is called a coordinate covalent bond, also known as a dative bond, which occurs when one atom provides both electrons required for a covalent bond, and the other atom accepts them.

Resulting molecule

As a result of coordinate covalent bonding between ammonia and boron trifluoride, a new molecule is formed, called Ammonium boron trifluoride or Ammonium fluoride boron complex (\(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\mathrm{BF}_{3}\)). This molecule consists of four-coordinate boron atom with trigonal pyramidal geometry and four-coordinate nitrogen atom with tetrahedral geometry. In summary, the bond formation in the reaction \(\mathrm{H}_{3}\mathrm{N} \rightarrow \mathrm{BF}_{3}\) involves sigma bonds between nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in ammonia, sigma bonds between boron and fluorine atoms in boron trifluoride, and one coordinate covalent bond between nitrogen atom of ammonia and boron atom of boron trifluoride.

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Explain different types of bond formation in \(\mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{~N} \rightarrow \mathrm{BF}_{3}\)

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Identify the molecules involved in the reaction

Understand the electron configuration of the atoms

Formation of coordinate covalent bond

Resulting molecule

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