To determine which compound shows the maximum covalent character among the given options (NCl3, PCl3, AsCl3, SbCl3), we will use Fajans' rules, which help predict the covalent character of ionic compounds based on the size of the cation and anion, as well as their charges.
### Step-by-Step Solution:
1. **Identify the Compounds and Their Components**:
- The compounds given are NCl3, PCl3, AsCl3, and SbCl3.
- All these compounds have the same anion, Cl3 (chlorine).
2. **Analyze the Cations**:
- The cations are:
- NCl3: Nitrogen (N)
- PCl3: Phosphorus (P)
- AsCl3: Arsenic (As)
- SbCl3: Antimony (Sb)
3. **Consider the Sizes of the Cations**:
- As we move down Group 15 in the periodic table (from nitrogen to antimony), the size of the cation increases.
- Nitrogen (N) is the smallest cation, followed by phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), and finally antimony (Sb), which is the largest.
4. **Apply Fajans' Rules**:
- According to Fajans' rules, a smaller cation and a larger anion lead to a greater covalent character.
- Since the anion (Cl3) is the same for all compounds, we only need to focus on the size of the cation.
5. **Determine the Covalent Character**:
- NCl3 has the smallest cation (N), which means it will have the highest covalent character due to the small size of the cation and the larger size of the anion.
- As we move to PCl3, AsCl3, and SbCl3, the cation size increases, leading to a decrease in covalent character.
6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, NCl3 shows the maximum covalent character among the given options.
### Final Answer:
The compound that shows the maximum covalent character is **NCl3**.
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