Although onclass we discussed the nature of carbon bonded to four atoms asbeing

Question

Although onclass we discussed the nature of carbon bonded to four atoms asbeing tetrahedral in shape, square planar carbon is also a possiblestructure (90° bond angles). Show how the square planarstructurecan be eliminated by consideringCH2Cl2 and CH2BrCl. (Usemolecular models)

a. How manydifferent structures (isomers) are possible in each instance if thecarbon is square planar?

b. How manystructures (isomers) are possible in each instance if the carbon istetrahedral?

*Experimentally,only one isomer of each compound actually exists. What does thisprove?

c. What theorywould predict a tetrahedral shape; explain.

Explanation / Answer

a) If the carbon has square planar geometry arountit CH2Cl2 woukd have two isomersand CH2BrCl has only one isomer.               b)   If the carbon is tetrahedral only oneisomer exist in each case.                    Since experimentally only one isomeris existed for each copound , it shows that carbon has tetrahedralgeometry. c) VESPR theory would predict the tetrahedralgeometry.          Acompound of the type AB4 with out any lone pairs wouldhave the tetrahgedral geometry.           b)   If the carbon is tetrahedral only oneisomer exist in each case.                    Since experimentally only one isomeris existed for each copound , it shows that carbon has tetrahedralgeometry. c) VESPR theory would predict the tetrahedralgeometry.          Acompound of the type AB4 with out any lone pairs wouldhave the tetrahgedral geometry.               Since experimentally only one isomeris existed for each copound , it shows that carbon has tetrahedralgeometry. c) VESPR theory would predict the tetrahedralgeometry.          Acompound of the type AB4 with out any lone pairs wouldhave the tetrahgedral geometry.          

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