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What is the hybridization of P atom in phosphate anion ?
1 Answer
- pisgahchemistLv 72 years ago
Phosphate ....
What makes you think that there is any hybridization? Hybrid orbitals were "invented" in the 1930's as a way of explaining the geometry of mostly organic molecules. It seems to be a useful model for some compounds, particularly if the central atom is in period 2, but for elements in periods 3 and up, not so much.
To use hybridization we first need the geometry and then the hybridization will follow.
linear ..... sp
trigonal planar ..... sp2
tetrahedral ..... sp3
-- And by the way, there is no sp3d or sp3d2 hybridization. Chemists have shown there is no d-orbital participation in the bonding in hypervalent molecules (trigonal bipyramidal and octahedral).
The simplest way to represent PO4^3- is with a tetrahedral structure...
......O
.......|
O = P − O
.......|
......O
Each singly bonded oxygen has three lone pairs, and a formal charge of -1. This will make it consistent with the -3 charge on the ion.
Since it is tetrahedral, and you are apparently looking for some kind of hybridization, then we could say that phosphorous exhibits sp3 hybridization.