Determine the molecular structure and hybridization of the...

Determine the molecular structure and hybridization of the central atom $\mathrm{X}$ in the polyatomic ion $\mathrm{XY}_{3}{ }^{+}$ given the following information: A neutral atom of $X$ contains 36 electrons, and the element Y makes an anion with a 1 - charge, which has the electron configuration $1 s^{2} 2 s^{2} 2 p^{6}$.

Key Concepts

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory

This theory explains the three?dimensional arrangement of electron pairs around a central atom in molecules or ions. It asserts that electron pairs, whether they are involved in bonds or exist as lone pairs, repel each other and will arrange themselves as far apart as possible. This concept helps predict both the electron-domain geometry and the resulting molecular shape of a species once the positions of bonding and nonbonding electron pairs are identified.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the process by which atomic orbitals mix to form new, equivalent hybrid orbitals that can accommodate bonding electron pairs and lone pairs in a molecule. The type of hybridization adopted (such as sp³, sp³d, etc.) is determined by the steric number—the total count of bonds and lone pairs—around the central atom. This explains the geometry of the molecule by aligning the hybrid orbitals so that repulsions are minimized.

Electron Counting and Oxidation State Determination

Determining the number of electrons around the central atom, including its original valence electrons minus those lost due to oxidation, is essential for understanding bonding in polyatomic species. By accounting for the electrons involved in bonding and those remaining as lone pairs on the central atom, one can establish its steric number and thus predict both its molecular geometry and the appropriate hybridization.

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