Question

Write the state of hybridization of carbon in following compounds and shapes of each of the molecules (a) CH3Cl (b) HCONH2 ?

Answer 1

(a) `"sp"^3`, tetrahedral; (b) `"sp"^2`, trigonal planar.

Explanation:

You must draw the Lewis structures, use VSEPR theory to determine the electron geometry and shapes of each molecule, and then assign the hybridization that corresponds to the electron geometry.

(a) `"CH"_3"Cl"`

The structural formula is

The central atom (`"C"`) has four single bonds and no lone pairs. Its steric number
(`SN`) equals 4).

Per VSEPR theory, the electron geometry and the molecular geometry are each tetrahedral.

A tetrahedral electron geometry corresponds to `"sp"^3"` hybridization.

`ulbb(SNcolor(white)(m)"Geometry"color(white)(mm)"Hybridization")`
`color(white)(ll)2color(white)(mll)"linear"color(white)(mmmmmlmmml)"sp"`
`color(white)(ll)3color(white)(mll)"trigonal planar"color(white)(mmmm)"sp"^2`
`color(white)(ll)4color(white)(mll)"tetrahedral"color(white)(mmmmmm)"sp"^3`

(b) `"HCONH"_2`

The Lewis structure for formamide is.

The `"C"` atom has `SN = 3`. This corresponds to a trigonal planar geometry and `"sp"^2` hybridization.

Thus, the `"C"` and all the atoms directly attached to it are in the same plane with angles of 120°.