Question

Select the appropriate statements and arrange them in a logical order to explain the bonding in BeF2. i. Each of the singly occupied hybrid orbitals on Be overlaps with a singly occupied 2p orbital on an F atom. ii. The unhybridized 2p orbitals on Be interact with the 2p orbitals on the F atoms to form pi bonds. iii. The 2s and one of the 2p orbitals on Be combine to form two sp hybrid orbitals. iv. A 2s electron is promoted to a 2p orbital on Be. v. The 2s electrons in Be are promoted to 2p orbitals. vi. Each of the singly occupied 2p orbitals on Be overlaps with a singly occupied 2s orbital on a F atom.a.v, vi, ii b.v,vi c.iii, i, ii d.iv, iii, i e.iv, iii, i, ii

Answer 1

Answer:

e.iv, iii, i, ii

Explanation:

Be has electron configuration of 1s^2 2s^2. During bond formation, one 2s electron is promoted to a 2p orbital. Hence two hybrid sp beryllium orbitals are formed. These two hybrid orbitals are used in sigma bond formation to fluorine atoms.

Recall that fluorine has filled 2p orbitals containing lone pairs of electrons. These filled orbitals can interact with the unhybridized 2p-orbitals on beryllium to form pi bonds. This is the reason for the sequence of events chosen in the answer.