Is the BF3 polar or non-polar? - boron trifluoride (2023)

boyfriend₃is the chemical formula for a colorless, pungent odor-producing toxic gas called boron trifluoride. It is an inorganic compound widely used as a catalyst for a number of chemical reactions.

As its name suggests, boron trifluoride consists of a boron (B) atom in the center, surrounded by three fluorine (F) atoms. Each B-F bond is individually polar, but the overall BF bond₃molecule is nonpolar. Because is what? Let's find out together by discussing the basics associated with BF polarity₃.

is a boyfriend₃polar or non-polar?

Boron trifluoride (BF₃) is a nonpolar molecule. This nonpolarity is attributed to the highly symmetric geometric structure of the molecule. boyfriend₃has trigonal plane geometry. Each B-F bond is polar due to an electronegativity difference between the central boron and each halogen, that is, fluorine.

The polarity of each B-F bond is usually canceled by borrowing the BF₃molecule a dipole moment net of zero.

Why is it BF?₃no polar?

boyfriend₃it is a planar molecule with all four atoms in one plane. Three fluorine atoms surround the central boron in a triangular arrangement (3 vertices), so the geometric shape of boron trifluoride is known as a trigonal plane.

According to the chemical theory of valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR), BF₃it is an AB3-like molecule with three bond pairs and no lone pairs around the central boron.

that makes bf₃a highly symmetric molecule. The three B-F bonds are equivalent, so the general BF₃molecule is non-polar.

Three factors dominate the polarity of all molecules in general:

• electronegativity
• dipole moment
• molecular geometry

Let's analyze each of the three concepts to understand the nonpolar nature of BF₃improve:

Factors Affecting BF Polarity₃

Electronegativity:

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract a shared pair of electrons from a covalent bond.

boyfriend₃consists of three single covalent bonds.Boron (B) has three valence electrons.belonging to Group III-A of the Periodic Table.Fluorine (F) has seven valence electrons.it belongs to a halogen of Group VII-A.

Each F forms a single covalent bond with the central B in BF₃so that each F has a complete octet configuration.

The electronegativity of F (E.N= 3.98) is much higher than the electronegativity of B (E.N= 2.04). Instead, fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table.

Therefore, each F strongly attracts the shared pair of electrons from each B-F bond. This makes the central boron partly positively charged (B^d+) while each fluorine gains a partial negative charge (F^d-) without boyfriend₃molecule.

For a bond to be polar, the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms involved must be equal to or greater than 0.5.

Thus, each B-F bond in BF₃molecule is polar.

However, the polarity of the bond does not always determine the overall polarity of a molecule. We should have already been made aware of the fact that the binding polarity of a molecule may or may not be the same as its overall polarity because there are two other factors involved.

dipole moment

The dipole moment (µ) measures the separation between opposite electrical charges.

It is defined as the product of the magnitude of the charge (Q) and the separation of the charge, that is, the bond length (r)

It has a symbol called Debye (D). 1D= 3.33564x10^-30Cm. The symbol C represents Coulomb (unit of charge) while m is meter (unit of distance).

The dipole moment of a polar bond is directed from the partially positive center to the partially negative center.

Considering the difference in electronegativity between a B atom and an F atom, that is, 3.98-2.04 = 1.94, the dipole moment of each B-F bond is 1.94 D. The direction of this dipole moment is boron (B^d+) a flúor (F^d-).

But the net dipole moment of BF₃is zero due to its highly symmetric geometry, which leads us to discuss the third and final factor that controls BF₃polarity, that is, molecular geometry.

molecular geometry

boyfriend₃molecule has a trigonal planar geometry. Each boron in the molecule is sp²hybridized, also known as trigonal hybridization.

One s and two p atomic orbitals combine to form three new sp equivalents²hybrid orbitals.

the three sp²the boron hybrid orbitals lie in the same plane and are directed to the three vertices of an equilateral triangle to form a bond with the p orbital of the F atom.

Therefore, the name trigonal planar is given to the geometric form of BF₃. Each B-F bond length is equal, that is, 130 pm, making a mutual bond angle of 120°.

The dipole moment of the downward pointing B-F bond (red arrow) cancels out with the combined dipole moment of the two remaining B-F bonds (blue arrow).So the B.F.₃molecule in general has a net dipole moment of 0 and BF₃is a non-polar molecule.

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Difference between polar and nonpolar molecules.

Boron Trifluoride Uses

• As a catalyst in organic synthesis.
• As an initiator in polymerization reactions.
• In pest control by fumigation
• As an adhesive, adsorbent and/or fuel additive in automotive and industrial manufacturing
• For the production of pharmaceutical drugs.
• As a binder in the pulp manufacturing industry

Frequent questions

Physicochemical properties of BF₃

• Boron trifluoride (BF₃) is a gas at room temperature and pressure.
• Its melting point is -126.8°C, while the boiling point of BF₃is -100.3°C.
• Too much molar from BF₃= atomic mass (B) + 3 [atomic mass (F)] = 10.8+ 3(19)= 67.8 g/mol.
• It has a high solubility in cold water, that is, about 106%. 332g of BF₃dissolves in 100 grams of water.
• It is naturally toxic and corrosive to metals.
• It has a pungent odor.
• It is colorless but white smoke from BF₃it can be seen in humid air due to its interaction with H2O.
• Boron trifluoride is a Lewis acid, it can donate an electron pair and participate in many different chemical reactions.

chemical reactions bf₃

Acid-base reaction:

Acting as a Lewis acid, BF₃it can react with a Lewis base (which tends to accept electrons) such as the ether to form an addition product called an adduct.

hydrolysis reaction

Boron trifluoride can undergo a chemical decomposition reaction with the addition of water. Boric acid and fluoroboric acid are formed.

⇒ 4BF₃+3H₂O → 3HBF₄+ B(OH)₄

halide exchange reaction

boyfriend₃it can undergo a halide exchange reaction with other boron halides such as boron trifluoride (BCl3).

⇒ BF₃+ BCl₃→BF₂Cl+BCl₂F

Other BF reactions₃may include its participation as a catalyst in the Friedel alkylation, nitration, sulfonation, and esterification of aromatic organic compounds.

Summary

• Boron trifluoride (BF₃) is a non-polar molecule.
• The nonpolarity of BF₃is due to its highly symmetric trigonal planar geometry with equal bond lengths and a mutual bond angle of 120°.
• Each B-F bond is polar due to the difference in electronegativity between a boron atom and a fluorine atom.
• The dipole moments of the polar bonds vanish due to the symmetrical geometry.
• Or non-BF liquid dipole moment₃molecule is zero, which leads to BF₃not polarity.