Question #3bfd4

1 Answer
anor277
May 10, 2017

Phosphine is an analogue of ammonia...........

Explanation:

And thus to a first approximation it is #"trigonal pyramidal"#.

The experimental #/_H-P-H=93.5^@#, which is SMALLER than the corresponding angle in ammonia, #/_H-N-H=105^@#, and hard to rationalize on simple grounds of VESPER. You should buttonhole your prof for his rationale. (And repost his account here!)

Related questions
See all questions in VSEPR
Impact of this question
1519 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License