Noble gas electronic configurations 21-2

In Group IA(1), lithium and sodium have the condensed electron configuration [noble gas] ns (where n is the quantum number of the outermost energy level), as do all the other alkali metals (K, Rb, Cs, Fr). All are highly reactive metals that form ionic compounds with nonmetals with formulas such as MCI, M2O, and M2S (where M represents the alkali metal), and all react vigorously with water to displace H2. 

In Group 7A(17), fluorine and chlorine have the condensed electron configuration [noble gas] ns np, as do the other halogens (Br, I, At). Little is known about rare, radioactive astatine (At), but all the others are reactive nonmetals that occur as diatomic molecules, X2 (where X represents the halogen). All form ionic compounds with metals (KX, MgX2), covalent compounds with hydrogen (HX) that yield acidic solutions in water, and covalent compounds with carbon (CX4). 

C + e- Clone electron short Noble gas of noble gas configuration configuration Br + e Br-... 

In reference to neon define and explain the significance of (a) noble gas, (b) octet of outer shell electrons, (c) noble gas outer electron configuration, (d) octet rule. 

Simple stable carbonyls, except V(CO)o, have an electronic configuration corresponding to the next noble gas. Carbonyl groups can be substituted by other unchanged ligands (e.g. 

Loss of one electron gives the noble gas configuration the very large difference between the first and second ionisation energies implies that an outer electronic configuration of a noble gas is indeed very stable. 

Typical elements in Groups V. VI and VII would be expected to achieve a noble gas configuration more easily by gaining electrons rather than losing them. Electron affinity is a measure of the energy change when an atom accepts an extra electron. It is difficult to measure directly and this has only been achieved in a few cases more often it is obtained from enthalpy cycle calculations (p. 74). 

In each of the examples given so far each element has achieved a noble gas configuration as a result of electron sharing. There are. however, many examples of stable covalent compounds in which noble gas configurations are not achieved, or are exceeded. In the compounds of aluminium, phosphorus and sulphur, shown below, the central atoms have 6. 10 and 12 electrons respectively involved in bondinc... 

To date there is no evidence that sodium forms any chloride other than NaCl indeed the electronic theory of valency predicts that Na" and CU, with their noble gas configurations, are likely to be the most stable ionic species. However, since some noble gas atoms can lose electrons to form cations (p. 354) we cannot rely fully on this theory. We therefore need to examine the evidence provided by energetic data. Let us consider the formation of a number of possible ionic compounds and first, the formation of sodium dichloride , NaCl2. The energy diagram for the formation of this hypothetical compound follows the pattern of that for NaCl but an additional endothermic step is added for the second ionisation energy of sodium. The lattice energy is calculated on the assumption that the compound is ionic and that Na is comparable in size with Mg ". The data are summarised below (standard enthalpies in kJ) ... 

Boron achieves a covalency of three by sharing its three outer electrons, for example BFj (p. 153). By accepting an electron pair from a donor molecule or ion, boron can achieve a noble gas configuration whilst increasing its covalency to four, for example H3N->BCl3. K BF4. This is the maximum for boron and the second quantum level is now complete these 4-coordinate species are tetrahedral (p. 38). 

Aluminium also has a strong tendency to achieve a noble gas configuration by electron pair acceptance as shown in dimeric aluminium chloride. 

Pure anhydrous aluminium chloride is a white solid at room temperature. It is composed of double molecules in which a chlorine atom attached to one aluminium atom donates a pair of electrons to the neighbouring aluminium atom thus giving each aluminium the electronic configuration of a noble gas. By doing so each aluminium takes up an approximately tetrahedral arrangement (p. 41). It is not surprising that electron pair donors are able to split the dimer to form adducts, and ether, for example, forms the adduct. 

The elements in this group have six electrons in their outer quantum level, and can thus achieve a noble gas configuration by acquiring two electrons. 

The electronic configuration of each halogen is one electron less than that of a noble gas, and it is not surprising therefore, that all the halogens can accept electrons to form X" ions. Indeed, the reactions X(g) + e - X (g), are all exothermic and the values (see Table 11.1), though small relative to the ionisation energies, are all larger than the electron affinity of any other atom. 

Numerous ionic compounds with halogens are known but a noble gas configuration can also be achieved by the formation of a covalent bond, for example in halogen molecules, X2, and hydrogen halides, HX. When the fluorine atom acquires one additional electron the second quantum level is completed, and further gain of electrons is not energetically possible under normal circumstances, i.e... 

The O oxidation state is known in vanadium hexacarbonyl. V(CO)(,. a blue-green, sublimable solid. In the molecule VfCO), if each CO molecule is assumed to donate two electrons to the vanadium atom, the latter is still one electron short of the next noble gas configuration (krypton) the compound is therefore paramagnetic, and is easily reduced to form [VfCO, )]. giving it the... 

The electron configuration is the orbital description of the locations of the electrons in an unexcited atom. Using principles of physics, chemists can predict how atoms will react based upon the electron configuration. They can predict properties such as stability, boiling point, and conductivity. Typically, only the outermost electron shells matter in chemistry, so we truncate the inner electron shell notation by replacing the long-hand orbital description with the symbol for a noble gas in brackets. This method of notation vastly simplifies the description for large molecules. 

Whether an element is the source of the cation or anion in an ionic bond depends on several factors for which the periodic table can serve as a guide In forming ionic compounds elements at the left of the periodic table typically lose electrons giving a cation that has the same electron configuration as the nearest noble gas Loss of an elec tron from sodium for example yields Na which has the same electron configuration as neon... 

Elements at the right of the periodic table tend to gam electrons to reach the elec tron configuration of the next higher noble gas Adding an electron to chlorine for exam pie gives the anion Cl which has the same closed shell electron configuration as the noble gas argon... 

Transfer of an electron from a sodium atom to a chlorine atom yields a sodium cation and a chloride anion both of which have a noble gas electron configuration... 

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