Home
Class 11
CHEMISTRY
Why aluminium shows a higher covalency t...

Why aluminium shows a higher covalency than boron?

Text Solution

Verified by Experts

Aluminium because of the presence of vacant `d`-orbital in its valence shell shows a covalency up to `6`, whereas boron due to the absence of low-lying `d`-orbital cannot have covalency more than `4`.
Promotional Banner

Topper's Solved these Questions

  • APPENDIX - INORGANIC VOLUME 1

    CENGAGE CHEMISTRY ENGLISH|Exercise Exercise very short|70 Videos

  • APPENDIX - INORGANIC VOLUME 1

    CENGAGE CHEMISTRY ENGLISH|Exercise Exercise Short|146 Videos

  • ALKYNES

    CENGAGE CHEMISTRY ENGLISH|Exercise Exercises (Archives - Analytical and Desriptive Type)|4 Videos

  • ATOMIC STRUCTURE

    CENGAGE CHEMISTRY ENGLISH|Exercise Concept Applicationexercise(4.3)|19 Videos

Similar Questions

Explore conceptually related problems

Explain why silicon shows a higher covalency than carbon.

Beryllium has higher ionisation enthalpy than boron.This can be explained as,

Why amines have higher boiling points than corresponding alkanes ?

The small size and high charge of Al^(3+) ion gives it a high charge density which is responsible for its tendency to show (a) covalency in its compounds in the gaseous state (b) high hydration energy which stabilizes its compounds in solution, and (c) high lattice energy of its compounds in the solid state. Thus aluminium can forms both covalent and ionic bond. Like halides of boron, halides of aluminium do not show back bonding because of increase in size of aluminium. Actually aluminium atoms complete their octets by forming dimers. Thus chloride and bromide of aluminium exist as dimers, both in the vapour state and in polar-solvents like benzene while the corresponding boron halides exists as monomer. In boron trihalides the extent of back bonding decreases with increases with increase in size of halogens and thus lewis acid character increases. All BX_(3) are hydrolysed by water but BF_(3) shows a different behaviour. Which of the following statements about anhydrous aluminium chloride is correct ?

The small size and high charge of Al^(3+) ion gives it a high charge density which is responsible for its tendency to show (a) covalency in its compounds in the gaseous state (b) high hydration energy which stabilizes its compounds in solution, and (c) high lattice energy of its compounds in the solid state. Thus aluminium can forms both covalent and ionic bond. Like halides of boron, halides of aluminium do not show back bonding because of increase in size of aluminium. Actually aluminium atoms complete their octets by forming dimers. Thus chloride and bromide of aluminium exist as dimers, both in the vapour state and in polar-solvents like benzene while the corresponding boron halides exists as monomer. In boron trihalides the extent of back bonding decreases with increases with increase in size of halogens and thus lewis acid character increases. All BX_(3) are hydrolysed by water but BF_(3) shows a different behaviour. Which of the following reaction is incorrect ?

Why lithium halides show covalent nature.

Why boron and aluminium tend to for, covalent compounds ?

Why does gallium have higher ionisation energy than aluminium?

Why phosphorous has higher electron affinity than nitrogen?

Explain why propanol has a higher boiling point than hydrocarbon butane ?