Explain the structure of diborane.
Answers
Dear student,
● Structure of diborane -
- B-atom in diborane is sp3 hybridized.
- Diborane has 4 normal B-H terminal bonds and two B-H-B bridge bonds in its structure.
- Bridge bonds B-H-B are called as banana bonds.
- 2 B atoms and 4 terminal H atoms lie in same plane while 2 bridge H atoms lie above & below the plane.
- B2H6 molecule has total 8 covalent bonds but only 6 pairs of e-. Hence it is electron deficient.
[Refer to the figure for structure of diborane.]
Hope this helps you...
★ STRUCTURE OF DIBORANE:-
→ In diborane each boron atom undergoes sp3 hybridisation giving four sp3 hybrid orbitals. Out of four hybrid orbital one is vacant.
→ Each boron forms two bond with two hydrogen atoms by overlapping with 1s orbital of hydrogen atom.
→ That is 4B-H bonds in which those hydrogen atoms are called terminal hydrogen.
→ The remaining half filled hybrid orbitals of one boron atoms and the vacant hybrid orbital of second boron atom overlap simultaneously with half filled orbital of hydrogen atom and forms B-H-B bonds. Here hydrogen atoms are called bridged hydrogen.
→ The B-H bond is formed by sharing a pair of electrons so it is called two-centre two electron bonds (2c-2e)
→ In B-H-B bond is formed each bridged hydrogen is bonded to two boron atoms by a pairs of electrons (2e) that is called two electron bond (3c-2e) also known as banana bonds.
