Write orbital diagrams (boxes with arrows in them) to represent the electron configurations—without hybridization—for all the atoms in SF₂. Circle the electrons involved in bonding. Draw a three-dimensional sketch of the molecule and show orbital overlap. What bond angle do you expect from the unhybridized orbitals? How well does valence bond theory agree with the experimentally measured bond angle of 98.2° ?

Key Concepts

Orbital Diagrams

Orbital diagrams visually represent the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. Each box corresponds to an orbital, and arrows indicate the presence of electrons, with their direction showing spin. These diagrams help in understanding electron configurations and the pairing of electrons, which is crucial for predicting bonding behavior in molecules.

Valence Bond Theory

Valence Bond Theory (VBT) explains how atoms bond by overlapping their atomic orbitals to form covalent bonds. It emphasizes the role of unhybridized orbitals in determining molecular geometry and bond angles. In the case of SF2, VBT can be used to predict the bond angle based on the arrangement of the unhybridized orbitals, which is essential for comparing theoretical predictions with experimental data.

Bond Angles and Molecular Geometry

Bond angles are the angles between adjacent bonds in a molecule, which are influenced by the arrangement of electron pairs around a central atom. In SF2, the expected bond angle is affected by the presence of lone pairs and the repulsion between bonding and non-bonding electron pairs. Understanding these angles is crucial for predicting molecular shape and comparing theoretical predictions with experimental measurements.