VSEPR works by accident in the cases of $\ce{NH3}$ and $\ce{NF3}$. In reality, there are much more things to consider as shown in this answer. All four compounds should have bond angles of $90^\circ$ if there were no other effects present.
For both nitrogen compounds, the effects are the short $...
> For phosphorous, we can initially assume that the bond angle of $\ce{PH3}$ is close enough to $90^\circ$ for no hybridisation to be necessary (semi-proven by this answer of Martin) and likewise for $\ce{PF3}$.
I've just started with EAS. I wanted to write down a mechanism for acylation of a cyclic anhydride (for some reason the formation of the carbocation is not given in my textbook). So I wish to know whether this mechanism is correct or now. Since this is my first attempt at writing one, I don't kno...
Alpha-Tetralone is reacted by $1.\ce{Zn(Hg),HCl}\ \ 2.\ce{ Pd/C}$ What is the product and mechanism that is followed for the 2nd reaction?
A book by SN Sanyal says that Naphthalene will be produced . I know that in the 1st reaction, clemenson reduction is followed thereby reducing the Carbonyl g...
@Wolgwang Clemmensen/Wolf-kishner/Mozingo/catalytic hydrogenation (pd/pt + C) followed by either Pd/C + heat or Se + heat
aromatisation is covered in aromatic compounds in 12th I think
@LalitTolani it should be completely planar... I don't understand why you think it should only be approx planar?
@LalitTolani I believe it is greater than 109 because of steric clashes between the alkyl groups; I don't think its possible to theoretically predict the angle without computation anyway.
@LalitTolani well that way there would be a resonance structure of carbonic acid (h2co3) where the carbon has a negative charge, but you wouldn't say the carbonic acid is "approximately planar", would you?
There is a continuous d pi - p pi conjugation across trisilylamine, talking about certain extreme resonance structures is of little value.
@LalitTolani Ignore it , I interpreted something wrong
@LalitTolani resonating structures are only contribution to real structures , they themselves doesn't exist or remains in equilibrium , bond order is 4/3 b/w N and Si so it is simultaneously back bonding with all three Si , so electron density is distributed throughout
@AshishAhuja but sp3 hybridised nitrogen with three single bonded groups wouldn't be an extreme resonance structure , also negative charge on carbon with positive charge on oxygen wouldn't be least contributing
I want to know the hybridization of the central atom in $\ce{(SiH3)3N}$.
I think it should be $\mathrm{sp^3}$, because $\ce{N}$ is attached to three silicon atoms and one lone pair. But actually it is supposedly $\mathrm{sp^2}$.
How is this so?
looks like its not even d pi - p pi as I said it was.. I think this is beyond my understanding and I can't really help much, but I think thinking in terms of resonance structures here isn't very useful, because as the answer to the above question describes, the bonding isn't straightforward like the cases in which resonance is applied.
@LalitTolani problem with inorganic chemistry is that what theory is being taught isn't entirely correct So it can't explain all properties and behaviours of many compounds , so sometimes even giving reasons is merely an way to remember