What is the molecular geometry of ClF_3?

• A. Octahedral
• B. Trigonal bipyramidal
• C. Trigonal planar
• D. T-shaped

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons in ClF_3. Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons, and each fluorine (F) has 7 valence electrons. Since there are 3 fluorines, calculate the total as \$7 + 3 \times 7$.
2. Step 2: Draw the Lewis structure for ClF_3 by placing chlorine as the central atom and connecting it to the three fluorine atoms with single bonds. Then, distribute the remaining electrons to satisfy the octet rule, placing lone pairs on the central atom and fluorines as needed.
3. Step 3: Count the number of electron domains (bonding and lone pairs) around the central chlorine atom. This includes the 3 bonding pairs (Cl-F bonds) and any lone pairs on chlorine.
4. Step 4: Use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory to predict the molecular geometry. For 5 electron domains (3 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs), the electron domain geometry is trigonal bipyramidal, but the molecular shape is determined by the positions of atoms only.
5. Step 5: Recognize that with 2 lone pairs occupying equatorial positions in a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement, the shape formed by the 3 bonded atoms is T-shaped, which matches the correct molecular geometry of ClF_3.