The PCl$_{5}$ molecule has trigonal bipyramidal structure. Therefore,

The PCl$_{5}$ molecule has trigonal bipyramidal structure. Therefore, the hybridization of p orbitals should be

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sp$^{2}$

sp$^{3}$

dsp$^{2}$

dsp$^{3}$

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UPSC CDS-1 – 2019

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The PCl$_{5}$ molecule has a trigonal bipyramidal structure with the Phosphorus atom as the central atom. In PCl$_{5}$, the central Phosphorus atom forms five single bonds with the five Chlorine atoms and has no lone pairs. According to VSEPR theory, a central atom with five electron domains (five bonding pairs) has a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry and molecular geometry. This geometry is associated with sp$^3$d hybridization of the central atom. The sp$^3$d hybridization involves mixing one s atomic orbital, three p atomic orbitals, and one d atomic orbital to form five hybrid orbitals. The option dsp$^3$ refers to the same type of hybridization, where one d, one s, and three p orbitals are mixed, resulting in five hybrid orbitals oriented in a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement. Among the given options, dsp$^3$ is the only hybridization scheme that corresponds to the trigonal bipyramidal structure of PCl$_{5}$.

– PCl$_{5}$ has a trigonal bipyramidal structure.
– This structure arises from the hybridization of the central atom’s valence orbitals.
– A trigonal bipyramidal geometry corresponds to sp$^3$d (or dsp$^3$) hybridization.
– The central P atom has 5 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.

The common notation for main group elements with 5 coordination is sp$^3$d hybridization, involving one s, three p, and one d orbital. The dsp$^3$ notation, while also representing a mix of one d, one s, and three p orbitals, is sometimes used depending on whether the d-orbital is an inner or outer orbital, or simply as an alternative way to list the contributing orbitals. In the context of the given options, dsp$^3$ is the correct choice corresponding to the PCl$_{5}$ structure.

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