PLEASE ANSWER FAST
i have my exams on the coming monday
i found the question in a "PROBABLE QUESTIONS" book...
i am unable to answer it!!!!!!
HELP
2007-03-29 22:29:48 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
The electron configuration of boron is 1s22s22p. It has only three electrons to work with, so the ion is unpolarizable, and does not hydrate. For this reason, boron is not eager to donate electrons in an electrovalent bond, and can also not accept them easily. Therefore, most of its bonds are covalent, and even forms half-bonds in which only one electron is shared covalently, not the usual two. This gives boron an apparent valence of +6 that we shall see in some interesting compounds. The first ionization potential is 8.30 V, which is not unusually high.
2007-03-29 22:38:40 · answer #1 · answered by maussy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
More simply, it is not electropositive (metallic) enough for the 3+ ion to be stable. If you were to isolate it and supply enough energy, it could of course be made to form the 3+ ion. The question should have been 'why doesn't boron form a tripositive ion under the conditions normally associated with chemical processes?'.
2007-03-29 23:29:57 · answer #2 · answered by Ian I 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Would you consider B to be in the trivalent positive state in BF3 (Boron trifluoride)?
2007-03-30 00:11:29 · answer #3 · answered by sir_knowalot 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋