I didn't know how to answer this when taking a practice quiz. How should I have approached it?
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Carbon and oxygen are sp2 hybrisized. Which bonding do you need?

Quote from: ann on October 30, 2022, 06:20:59 PM
I didn't know how to answer this when taking a practice quiz. How should I have approached it?

First you draw the lewis dot structure of COCl₂.
Identify the hybridization of the carbon atom and oxygen atoms. Carbon has three groups around it so it is sp² hybridized and all three sp² orbitals are used in making  three sigma bonds with 2 Cl atoms and one oxygen atom.
Remember hybridized orbitals are used to make sigma bonds and for accommodating lone pairs only. Hybridized orbitals are not used in making pi bond.
Now check the hybridization of oxygen atom, it is also sp². Oxygen has used two hybridized orbitals for accommodating lone pairs and one making sigma bond with carbon.
Now carbon and oxygen are left with p orbtial with one electron in each , p orbitals overlap to form pi bond.
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