Question

Nature and bonding in triphosphazenes

Answer 1

Answer:

The bonds between the phosphorus and nitrogen in phosphazenes are best described as having a significant ionic component with each of the N atoms having a negative charge and each of the phosphorus atoms having a positive charge. There is also some negative hyperconjugation resulting from the donation of electrons from the nitrogen atoms' lone pairs to antibonding orbitals between the P atoms and the R groups. The degree of negative hyperconjugation increases with the electronegativity of the R groups and it imparts a partial double bond character to the bonds between the P and N atoms