Question

What is the angle between the carbon-chlorine bonds in the phosgene ( cocl2 ) molecule?

Answer 1

Answer: The angle between the carbon-chlorine bonds in phosgene will be 120°

Explanation: Formula used to calculate the hybridization:

${\text{Number of electron pairs}} =\frac{1}{2}[V+N-C+A]$

where,

V = number of valence electrons present in central atom i.e. carbon = 4

N = number of monovalent atoms bonded to central atom = 2

C = charge of cation = 0

A = charge of anion = 0

For $COCl_2$

${\text{Number of electron pairs}} =\frac{1}{2}[4+2-0+0]=3$

The number of electron pairs are 3 which means that the hybridization will be $sp^2$ and the electronic geometry of the given molecule will be trigonal planar.

The bond angle in this electronic geometry is 120°

The structure of phosgene is attached below.