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JEE Main 2020 · Chemistry · Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure · medium

Which set contains only species in which the central atom carries exactly two lone pairs?

Single correct option

Which set contains only species in which the central atom carries exactly two lone pairs?
  1. A. XeF4, ICl4−, BrF3\mathrm{XeF_4,\ ICl_4^-,\ BrF_3}
  2. B. XeF4, SF4, ClF3\mathrm{XeF_4,\ SF_4,\ ClF_3}
  3. C. XeF2, ICl2−, I3−\mathrm{XeF_2,\ ICl_2^-,\ I_3^-}
  4. D. XeOF4, XeO3, SF4\mathrm{XeOF_4,\ XeO_3,\ SF_4}
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Answer: (A) XeF4, ICl4−, BrF3\mathrm{XeF_4,\ ICl_4^-,\ BrF_3}

Lone pairs on the central atom: XeF4\mathrm{XeF_4} (8 valence e−^-, 4 bond pairs) has 2; ICl4−\mathrm{ICl_4^-} (7+1=87+1=8 e−^-, 4 bonds) has 2; BrF3\mathrm{BrF_3} (7−3=47-3=4 non-bonding e−^-) has 2. In set 2, SF4\mathrm{SF_4} has 1. In set 3 each has 3. In set 4 each has 1. So only the first set qualifies.
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