Is BCl3 polar or nonpolar?
The polarity of a bond depends on the relative electronegativities of the atoms involved in the bond. A compound can either be polar or nonpolar, depending on the difference in electronegativities which determines the presence or absence of dipole moments, respectively.
The polarity of BCl3, boron trichloride, is the focus of this article. Boron trichloride is an inorganic compound made of boron and chlorine, two elements that are very electronegative in their respective groups.
Is BCl3 polar or nonpolar? Also, is the relative electronegativity between them enough to create dipole moments or not?
Is BCl3 polar or nonpolar?
BCl3 is a nonpolar molecule. The individual B-Cl bonds are polar because they have an asymmetrical structure. But when the whole BCl3 structure is considered, it is a symmetrical trigonal planar structure.
Each of the B-Cl bonds lies at 120° to each other in a symmetric arrangement. Naturally, each of the B-Cl polar bonds generates dipole moments.
However, the symmetrical structure makes the net dipole moments on each polar bond cancel out each other, thereby making boron trichloride a nonpolar molecule.
Is BCl3 an ionic compound?
BCl3 is a covalent compound, not an ionic compound. Ionic compounds are created from a mix of metals and nonmetals. Boron trichloride, in this case, is made of two nonmetals, boron and chlorine.
Ionic bonding is characterized by electron transfer from a metal to a nonmetal. The bond between boron and chlorine forms via electron sharing.
Is BCl3 a covalent molecule?
Yes, it is. Boron and chlorine are nonmetals. They both lose electrons to form the covalent bond they share.
Is BCl3 an acid or a base?
BCl3 is a Lewis acid. The central atom, boron, has an incomplete octet and needs two more electrons to attain stability. This compound accepts a pair of electrons to complete its octet.
What is the difference between polar and nonpolar molecules?
Polar and nonpolar bonds are covalent bonds, but they are different.
Polar bonds exist between atoms that have an electronegativity difference of 0.4 or more. On the other hand, nonpolar bonds have the same electronegativity or a difference of less than 0.4. While polar bonds do not share electrons equally, nonpolar bonds share the electrons equally.
Furthermore, the negative charge on the electrons is not evenly distributed in polar bonds but they are evenly distributed in nonpolar bonds. In addition, polar bonds have dipole moments while nonpolar bonds do not have dipole moments.
FAQs
What is the formal charge on BCl3?
The formal charge on BCl3 is 0.
What is the charge of chlorine in BCl3?
The charge of each chlorine atom in BCl3 is -1.
Is BCl3 soluble in water?
No. When it comes to dissolution, like will attract like. BCl3 is nonpolar while water is polar. Therefore, boron trichloride will not dissolve in water.
Conclusion
BCl3 is a nonpolar molecule. When only one chlorine is bonded to boron, it creates a polar molecule. Boron trichloride has a trigonal planar structure and all bonds lie at 120° to each other.
The individual polar B-Cl bonds form dipole moments that neutralize each other and create a nonpolar BCl3.
Thanks for reading.
Visit Gezro for more informational articles like this one.