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Ch.8 - Covalent Compounds: Bonding Theories and Molecular Structure
All textbooksMcMurry 8th EditionCh.8 - Covalent Compounds: Bonding Theories and Molecular StructureProblem 66
Chapter 8, Problem 66

Describe the hybridization of the carbon atom in the poisonous gas phosgene, Cl2CO, and make a rough sketch of the molecule showing its hybrid orbitals and p bonds.

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Step 1: Determine the Lewis structure of the molecule. For Cl2CO, the central atom is carbon, which is bonded to an oxygen atom and two chlorine atoms. The oxygen atom is double bonded to the carbon atom, while the chlorine atoms are single bonded to the carbon atom.
Step 2: Determine the number of sigma (σ) and pi (π) bonds in the molecule. In Cl2CO, there are three sigma bonds (one for each Cl-C bond and one for the C-O bond) and one pi bond (for the second bond in the C=O double bond).
Step 3: Determine the hybridization of the carbon atom. The number of sigma bonds and lone pairs on the atom determines the hybridization. In this case, the carbon atom has three sigma bonds and no lone pairs, so it is sp2 hybridized.
Step 4: Sketch the molecule. The carbon atom is at the center with the oxygen atom and two chlorine atoms arranged around it in a trigonal planar shape due to the sp2 hybridization. The pi bond in the C=O double bond is formed by the overlap of unhybridized p orbitals on the carbon and oxygen atoms.
Step 5: Indicate the hybrid orbitals and pi bonds in your sketch. The sigma bonds are formed by the overlap of sp2 hybrid orbitals on the carbon atom with the orbitals on the oxygen and chlorine atoms. The pi bond is formed by the overlap of unhybridized p orbitals on the carbon and oxygen atoms.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the process by which atomic orbitals mix to form new hybrid orbitals that are suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds. In the case of carbon in phosgene (Cl2CO), the carbon atom undergoes sp2 hybridization, resulting in three equivalent sp2 hybrid orbitals that are arranged in a trigonal planar geometry.
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Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms within a molecule. For phosgene, the sp2 hybridization of carbon leads to a trigonal planar shape around the carbon atom, with bond angles of approximately 120 degrees. This geometry is crucial for understanding the molecule's reactivity and interactions with other substances.
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Pi Bonds

Pi bonds are a type of covalent bond that occurs when two lobes of one involved atomic orbital overlap with two lobes of another, typically involving unhybridized p orbitals. In phosgene, the carbon atom forms a double bond with oxygen through one sp2 hybrid orbital and one unhybridized p orbital, creating a pi bond that contributes to the molecule's stability and reactivity.
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Related Practice
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