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Bond angle in is closer to while that in is . Which of the following best explains this structural feature?
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Energy difference between and orbitals is quite high and hence the lone pair on phosphorous prefers to occupy unhybridized orbital rather than hybridized hybridized orbital which causes its orbital energy to increase.
In the hydrides of group and group (except and ) the energy difference between and orbital’s is quite high. Hybridization increases the energy of orbital so much that lone pair rather prefers to occupy unhybridized s orbital. For example, in , of energy is required to hybridize the central atom. So, to avoid such energy demanding hybridization P forms bonds with unhybridized p orbitals leaving the lone pair in the spherical s orbital which leads to a bond angle close to .
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