deduce the shape of sf4 molecule on the basis of VSEPR theory
Answers
Sulfur tetrafluoride has 10 electrons around the central sulfur atom. This means there are five electron pairs arranged in an trigonal bipyramidal shape with 102° F-S-F bond angles between the equatorial fluorine atoms and 173° between the axial fluorine atoms.
According to VSEPR theory geometry of sf4 molecule is trigonal bipyramidal and shape is see saw.
According to VSEPR theory:-
1) There is presence of bonding and non bonding electron pair in the valence shell of central metal.
2) Due to like charges bond pair and lone pair repel each other due to this electron pairs are at maximum distance from each other.
3) Position of bond pair and lone pair decide geometry and shape of molecule. So if there is no lone pair then molecule have regular geometry and are non polar in nature.
4) If presence of electron then the geometry is distorted geometry and shape different from geometry.
So in SF4 molecule we have bond pair =4 and lone pair =1 and sum is 5 the molecule due to lone pair will have d orbital and hybridization will be sp^3d and geometry will be trigonal bipyramidal.
Due to lone pair will have distorted geometry and shape is different from geometry and molecule is irregular with shape as see saw.