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JEE Advanced 2021 Paper 2 · Chemistry · s-Block, p-Block Elements and Hydrogen · medium

The correct statement(s) about compounds of the p-block elements is/are

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The correct statement(s) about compounds of the p-block elements is/are
  1. A. NCl3\mathrm{NCl_3} is hydrolysed by water to give NH3\mathrm{NH_3} and HOCl\mathrm{HOCl}
  2. B. Solid PCl5\mathrm{PCl_5} consists of [PCl4]−[\mathrm{PCl_4}]^- and [PCl6]+[\mathrm{PCl_6}]^+ ions
  3. C. BF3\mathrm{BF_3} is a stronger Lewis acid than BCl3\mathrm{BCl_3} because of the higher electronegativity of fluorine
  4. D. NF3\mathrm{NF_3} is a stronger Lewis base than NH3\mathrm{NH_3}
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Answer: A

A: In NCl3\mathrm{NCl_3} the oxygen of water attacks the chlorine atoms (which carry the partial positive character in this hydrolysis), while the nitrogen, using its lone pair, is protonated; nitrogen therefore ends up as NH3\mathrm{NH_3} and chlorine as HOCl: NCl3+3H2O→NH3+3HOCl\mathrm{NCl_3+3H_2O\to NH_3+3HOCl}. Correct. B: Solid PCl5\mathrm{PCl_5} is ionic, [PCl4]+[PCl6]−[\mathrm{PCl_4}]^+[\mathrm{PCl_6}]^- with tetrahedral cation and octahedral anion; the charges in the statement are reversed, so B is wrong. C: The Lewis acidity of boron halides increases BF3<BCl3<BBr3\mathrm{BF_3<BCl_3<BBr_3}, because the 2pπ2p\pi-2pπ2p\pi back-donation from F into the empty boron 2p2p orbital is strongest in BF3\mathrm{BF_3} and reduces its acidity; C is wrong. D: The electronegative fluorines in NF3\mathrm{NF_3} pull electron density away from the lone pair and the dipoles oppose it, so NF3\mathrm{NF_3} is a much weaker Lewis base than NH3\mathrm{NH_3}; D is wrong. Answer: A only.
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