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18/02/2022 5:19 pm
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Comment on the nature of two S-O bonds formed in SO2 molecules. Are the two S-O bonds in this molecule equal?
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18/02/2022 5:26 pm
The electronic configuration of S is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4.
During the formation of SO2, one electron from 3p orbital goes to the 3d orbital and S undergoes sp2 hybridization. Two of these orbitals form sigma bonds with two oxygen atoms and the third contains a lone pair. p-orbital and d orbital contain an unpaired electron each. One of these electrons forms pπ - pπ bond with one oxygen atom and the other forms pπ - dπ bond with the other oxygen. This is the reason SO2 has a bent structure. Also, it is a resonance hybrid of structures I and II.
Both S-O bonds are equal in length (143 pm) and have a multiple bond character.