Question

Determine the type of hybrid orbitals formed by the boron atom in a molecule of boron fluoride, bf3.

Answer 1

Boron trifluoride forms three bonds and has no lone pairs on the central atom. VSEPR theory tells us that it is trigonal planar. Valence bond theory tells us that, not only is it trigonal planar, the central atom has sp2 hybrid orbitals

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

orbital hybridisation (or hybridization) is the concept of mixing atomic orbitals into new hybrid orbitals (with different energies, shapes, etc., than the component atomic orbitals) suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds in valence bond theory.

Boron trifluoride (BF3) has a boron atom with three outer-shell electrons in its normal or ground state, as well as three fluorine atoms, each with seven outer electrons. One of the three boron electrons is unpaired in the ground state. In order to explain the bonding, the 2s orbital and two of the 2p orbitals (called sp2 hybrids) hybridize; one empty p-orbital remains.