Question

Explain why:

Nitrogen does not form pentahalides.

Answer 1

Nitrogen does not form pentahalides because it has no vacant d-orbitals in its valence shell.

Answer 2

1. Nitrogen has no available d-orbitals in its valence shell.
2. It cannot expand its octet beyond 8 electrons.
3. Pentahalides require sp³d hybridisation, involving d-orbitals.
4. Other group 15 elements like phosphorus form pentahalides due to available d-orbitals.

Hence, nitrogen is limited to forming trihalides only.