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Hybridization

This document discusses hybridization and how it relates to the shapes of simple molecules. It defines hybridization as the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals. The type of hybridization determines the geometry or shape of the molecule. sp3 hybridization results in tetrahedral structures with 4 bonds, as seen in methane (CH4). sp2 hybridization forms triangular planar structures with 3 bonds, like in ethene (C2H4). sp hybridization gives linear geometries with 2 bonds, exemplified by beryllium fluoride (BeF2). The document provides examples of different hybridizations and the molecular structures they produce.

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Olajide Olayeni
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142 views44 pages

Hybridization

This document discusses hybridization and how it relates to the shapes of simple molecules. It defines hybridization as the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals. The type of hybridization determines the geometry or shape of the molecule. sp3 hybridization results in tetrahedral structures with 4 bonds, as seen in methane (CH4). sp2 hybridization forms triangular planar structures with 3 bonds, like in ethene (C2H4). sp hybridization gives linear geometries with 2 bonds, exemplified by beryllium fluoride (BeF2). The document provides examples of different hybridizations and the molecular structures they produce.

Uploaded by

Olajide Olayeni
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HYBRIDIZATION AND SHAPES OF

SIMPLE MOLECULES
•Hybridization, in Chemistry, is defined as the
concept of mixing two atomic orbitals to give
rise to a new type of hybridized orbitals. This
intermixing usually results in the formation of
hybrid orbitals having entirely different energy,
shapes e.t.c.
The process of merging two atomic orbitals to
produce a new variety of hybridized orbitals is
described as hybridization. Usually, this mixing
creates hybrid orbitals with entirely distinct
energies, forms, and other characteristics. Atomic
orbitals with the same energy level are principally
responsible for hybridization. However, if the
energies of the orbitals are equivalent, the
process can involve both fully filled and
partially filled orbitals.
The concept of hybridization is an extension
of valence bond theory that helps us
understand bond formation, bond energies,
and bond lengths. When two atomic orbitals
combine to form a hybrid orbital in a
molecule, the energy of the orbitals of
individual atoms is redistributed to give
orbitals of equivalent energy. When two
atomic orbitals combine to form a hybrid
orbital in a molecule,
the energy of the orbitals of individual atoms
is redistributed to give orbitals of equivalent
energy. This is known as hybridization.
Hybridization helps us to explain what is
actually going on during such bonding
processes. In molecular bond formation, only
the valence electrons are utilized, that is, the
electrons in the outermost shell of the atom
(K, L, M, N, O etc.)
The process of hybridization gives us some insight
into the shapes or structures of simple molecules.
Consider the molecule CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride).
The carbon atom must bond to four chlorine atoms for
2-electron/2-centre bonding to be in operation.
However, there are only two unpaired electrons
available for bonding here (scheme 1).
Scheme 1: Ground state electronic
configuration of carbon
The carbon atom, with atomic number 6, has
the electronic configuration shown in scheme
1. It is pertinent to note that only the electrons
in the outermost shell are involved in
bonding, that is, the L shell in this case.
Since all the bonding electrons must be
unpaired, one electron must be promoted
from the 2s-orbital into 2p-orbital (Scheme 2)
Scheme 2: Hybridization of carbon atom in CCl4
molecule
The process is called Hybridization and
involves the expenditure of energy. In this
case 406kj/mol of energy is needed to
effect the promotion of the electron in the
2s-orbital into the 2p-orbital.
Therefore, there are four unpaired electrons
from four hybrid orbitals which can now
overlap with the p-orbitals of the chlorine
atom to form chemical bonds. The
combination of these four hybrid orbitals to
form
four tetrahedrally arranged orbitals of the
same energy content can be represented as
shown in figure 1.
Figure 1: combination of s and p orbitals of
C in CCl4
These tetrahedrally arranged hybrid
orbitals of the carbon atom now overlap
with the appropriate p-orbitals of the
chlorine atom to form chemical bonds
(figure 2).
Figure 2: Formation of a tetrahedral structure
for CCl4 due to space hybridization
Since the tetrahedral structure for CCl4
resulted from new hybrid
orbitals containing one electron from s-
orbital and three electrons from p-
orbital(Scheme 2),
the process is called sp3 hybridization. Thus,
sp3 hybridization gives rise to a
tetrahedral geometry or structure.
Types of Hybridization
Hybridization can be classified as sp3, sp2,
sp, sp3d, sp3d2 and sp3d3.
Sp2 hybridization: With similar reasoning
as above, this will involve the use of one s-
orbital and two p-orbitals, each
containing an unpaired electron.

•
Therefore, a total of three electrons are
required for bonding in this case (Scheme
3)
Scheme 3: Ground state
electronic configuration for boron atom
Consider the molecule BF3. The boron atom
has atomic number five hence its ground
state configuration is given in scheme 3.
Promotion of an electron from the 2s-orbital
into 2p-orbital or
hybridization gives us three new hybrid
orbitals of the same energy content
(Scheme 4)
Scheme 4: Hybridization of the boron atom in
BF3 molecule
The best way of arranging three
hybrid orbitals in space for bonding with
the appropriate p-orbitals of fluorine atom
in this case is to have them in a triangular
plane as this has the least energy and
consequently, most stable (figure 4).
Figure 4: Formation of triangular planar structure for BF3
due to sp2 hybridization
All three hybrid orbitals are now identical
(Scheme 4) and directed towards the corners
of an equilateral triangle, the

angles between the orbitals being 120°C


(figure 4).
This is sp2 hybridization since the three
hybrid orbitals employed comprise an s-
orbital and 2p-orbitals, each containing an
electron (Scheme 4) gives a
triangular planar structure for the BF3
molecule.
Sp Hybridization: When an atom's s and p
orbitals in the same main shell interact to create
two new equivalent orbitals, this process is
known as sp hybridization. sp hybridized
orbitals are the new orbitals that are formed. It
forms linear molecules with an angle of 180°.
To create a new hybrid orbital known as a sp
hybridized orbital, one's' orbital and one 'p'
orbital of equal energy are mixed together in
this sort of hybridization.
The diagonal hybridization is another name
for the sp hybridization. Half of each sp
hybridized orbital's characteristics are s, and
the other half are p.
Examples of sp Hybridization include all
beryllium compounds, such as BeF2, BeH2,
and BeCl2.
Consider the molecule, BeF2. Be has atomic
number 4, thus its ground state electronic
configuration is shown in scheme 5.
Scheme 5: Ground state electronic
configuration for Be
On hybridization, two hybrid orbitals of
equal energy content result and these must
overlap with the p-orbitals of the fluorine
atom during which energy is exchanged to
form chemical bonds (Figure 5).
The greater the orbital overlap, the
greater will be the exchange energy and the
stronger will be the bond formed. In this
case, the process is called sp hybridization
since it involves only an s-orbital and a p-
orbital.
Overlap of the two hybrid orbitals with the
p-orbitals of the fluorine atom gives a linear
structure for the BeF2 molecule (Figure 5).
Scheme 6: Hybridization of Be atom in BeF2
molecule
Figure 5: Formation of linear structure for
BeF2 due to sp hybridization
Molecule CN Type of Stereochemistry
Hybridization
BeF2 2 sp Linear
BF3 3 sp2 Triangular planar
CCl4 4 sp3 Tetrahedral
PCl5 5 dsp3 Trigonal
bipyramid
SF6 6 d2sp3 Octahedral
Table 1: Relationship between coordination number (CN) of the
central atom and the structure of a molecule

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