This article provides clear and concise study material designed for CBSE class 11th and 12th students preparing for their exams. The concept of interhalogen compounds is an essential topic in chemistry.
Through this article, students will gain a solid understanding of the structure, preparation, and examples of interhalogen compounds. The content is written in a straightforward and precise manner, making it easier for students to grasp the concepts and stay focused on their syllabus.
Interhalogen compounds are compounds that are formed when elements of the halogen group react with each other. In other words, it is a molecule consisting of two or more different elements of group 17. There are four types of interhalogen compounds:
The halogen group with larger size and higher electro-positivity reacts with an element of 17 with smaller size and lower electro-positivity. As the ratio of the radii of the larger and smaller halogens increases, the number of atoms in the molecule also increases.
These molecules are formed either by direct combination or by the action of group 17 elements containing fewer interhalogen compounds under specific conditions. For example: At 437K, chlorine reacts with an equal amount of fluorine to form ClF. This method is widely used in the production of group 17 fluoride.
Cl2 +F2→2ClF (473K) I2 + Cl2 → 2ICl
Also Check: Avogadro’s Law
Also Read: Aluminium: Uses, Reactions with Acids and Alkalies
Interhalogen compounds are formed when two different halogens combine. The hybridization of interhalogen compounds depends on the central halogen atom involved. Typically, the hybridization can be determined based on the number of electron pairs and bonding regions around the central atom.
In general, interhalogen compounds can have hybridizations of sp³, sp³d, or sp³d², depending on the number of bonds and lone pairs on the central halogen atom.
Interhalogen compounds are generally diamagnetic because they do not have any unpaired electrons in their molecular orbitals. Diamagnetism occurs when all electrons are paired up, leading to a repulsion from a magnetic field. In the case of most interhalogen compounds, the electrons in their molecular orbitals are paired, and there are no unpaired electrons to create a magnetic moment, hence making them diamagnetic.
A T-shaped interhalogen compound refers to the molecular geometry of a compound where the central atom forms three bonds with other atoms and has two lone pairs of electrons. This geometry is characteristic of compounds that adopt a sp³d hybridization.
An example of a T-shaped interhalogen compound is IF₃ (Iodine trifluoride), where the iodine atom is the central atom, forming bonds with three fluorine atoms, while having two lone pairs on iodine, leading to the T-shaped structure.
The structure of interhalogen compounds depends on the number and type of halogens involved:
The hybridization of allyl chloride (C₃H₅Cl) involves the carbon atoms in the molecule:
So, the overall hybridization of the central carbon in allyl chloride is sp².