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JEE Main 2018 · Chemistry · s-Block, p-Block Elements and Hydrogen · medium

In the anion of borax, [B4O5(OH)4]^2-, the number of B-O-B bridges and the number of sp^3 hybridised boron atoms are, respectively,

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In the anion of borax, [B4O5(OH)4]2−\mathrm{[B_4O_5(OH)_4]^{2-}}, the number of B-O-B bridges and the number of sp3sp^3 hybridised boron atoms are, respectively,
  1. A. 44 and 22
  2. B. 55 and 22
  3. C. 55 and 44
  4. D. 44 and 44
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Answer: (B) 55 and 22

The anion has a bicyclic structure of two fused six-membered rings sharing a bridging oxygen. Of the nine oxygens, 55 are bridging (each bonded to two B) and 44 are in terminal OH\mathrm{OH} groups, giving 55 B-O-B links. Two boron atoms are three-coordinate (trigonal planar, sp2sp^2, each carrying one OH), and two are four-coordinate (tetrahedral, sp3sp^3, each carrying one OH and bearing the negative charge). So the answer is 55 and 22.
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