Answer to Question #145858 in Organic Chemistry for Abdulsalam Aminu Bandam

Question

Explain why it is difficult for carbon atom to form five bonds using sp3d orbitals

Answer 1

Carbon has 6 electrons, with four in the outermost she'll.

It has a configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p2, with 2s2 and 2p2 in its outermost shell.

During hybridization, one electron is promoted from the 2s to the 2p, and then depending on the type of hybridization taking place, it can be sp, sp2 or sp3 hybridized.

sp3d hybridization is difficult to be formed in the carbon atom because there is no presence of a d orbital, making hybridization of the orbitals s,p with the d orbital almost impossible.