What is the electron geometry of IF5?

• A. Square pyramidal
• B. Tetrahedral
• C. Trigonal bipyramidal
• D. Octahedral

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the total number of valence electrons around the central atom, iodine (I). Iodine is in group 17, so it has 7 valence electrons.
2. Count the number of fluorine atoms bonded to iodine. There are 5 fluorine atoms, each contributing one bonding pair of electrons.
3. Calculate the total number of electron pairs around iodine by adding bonding pairs and lone pairs. Since iodine has 7 valence electrons and forms 5 bonds, subtract 5 bonding pairs from 7 electrons to find the number of lone pairs.
4. Use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory to predict the electron geometry based on the total number of electron pairs (bonding + lone pairs). For 6 electron pairs, the electron geometry is octahedral.
5. Identify the molecular shape by considering the positions of atoms only (ignoring lone pairs). With one lone pair and five bonded atoms, the molecular shape is square pyramidal, but the electron geometry remains octahedral.