Question

What is the hybridisation of F in BF3 or CH3F or PF5 or SF6? My book states that the p orbitals of fluorine overlaps, but I feel that sp3 hybridisation occurs in F, so its sp3 hybrid orbital overlaps with the empty p orbital of boron.

According to Ron's answer, all atoms with p or d orbitals can hybridise.

Answer 1

The hybridization of fluorine varies depending on the molecule: it uses p orbitals to overlap with boron's sp² hybrid orbitals in BF3, could be thought of as having an sp³-like arrangement in CH3F, and forms bonds with central atoms that are sp³d in PF5 and sp³d² in SF6.

Step-by-step explanation:

The hybridization of the fluorine atom in different compounds varies because it adopts the hybridization that best complements the geometry of the compound. In BF3, boron is sp² hybridized and forms a trigonal planar structure; each boron's sp² hybrid orbital overlaps with a fluorine p orbital to form a sigma bond.

In CH3F, fluorine is involved in a single sigma bond with carbon and has three lone pairs, which might suggest an sp³-like arrangement around the fluorine. In PF5, the phosphorus is sp³d hybridized to form five sigma bonds, while in SF6, sulfur is sp³d² hybridized to accommodate six sigma bonds.

Fluorine typically uses its unhybridized p orbitals to form bonds with the central atom's hybrid orbitals.