{"id":238535,"date":"2025-06-18T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T08:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learnexams.com\/blog\/?p=238535"},"modified":"2025-06-18T08:00:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T08:00:33","slug":"assign-symmetry-operations-inorganic-chemistry-to-the-following-molecules-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/18\/assign-symmetry-operations-inorganic-chemistry-to-the-following-molecules-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Assign symmetry operations (Inorganic Chemistry) to the following molecules 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Assign symmetry operations (Inorganic Chemistry) to the following molecules 1. Binder Clip 2. I3- (including lone pairs) 3. PCl3F2 (isomers) 4. SF4 5. [PtCl3NH3]- (ignore Hs on N) square planar NH3 bonded through N Please explain how to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To assign symmetry operations to molecules in Inorganic Chemistry, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Determine the molecular geometry.<\/strong> Use VSEPR theory or known geometry for the molecule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Visualize symmetry elements<\/strong>: These include:\n
      \n
    • Identity (E)<\/strong>: present in all molecules.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Rotation axis (Cn)<\/strong>: rotation by 360\u00b0\/n gives an indistinguishable structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Mirror planes (\u03c3)<\/strong>: reflection symmetry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Center of inversion (i)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Improper rotation (Sn)<\/strong>: rotation followed by reflection through a plane perpendicular to the axis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Now let’s apply these to the given molecules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n

      1. Binder Clip<\/strong>
      Though not a molecule, it has a well-defined geometry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Geometry: resembles a distorted triangular prism with metal arms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Symmetry:\n
          \n
        • E<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • A C2 axis through the clip\u2019s center (perpendicular to the flat triangular base)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • \u03c3v plane through the arms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Point group<\/strong>: C2v<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          \n\n\n\n

          2. I\u2083\u207b (triiodide ion)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Linear molecule with lone pairs on the terminal I atoms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Symmetry operations:\n
              \n
            • E<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • C\u221e axis (infinite-fold rotation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • \u221e \u03c3v planes (vertical)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • i (inversion center at central I)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • S\u221e (improper axis)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Point group<\/strong>: D\u221eh<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
              \n\n\n\n

              3. PCl\u2083F\u2082<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • Trigonal bipyramidal geometry<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Isomers:\n
                  \n
                • Axial F atoms<\/strong>:\n
                    \n
                  • E, C3, 3 \u03c3v<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Point group<\/strong>: D3h<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Equatorial F atoms<\/strong>:\n
                      \n
                    • Lower symmetry<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Only E and one \u03c3v<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Point group<\/strong>: Cs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                      \n\n\n\n

                      4. SF\u2084<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        \n
                      • Seesaw shape (AX\u2084E)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Geometry lacks symmetry due to lone pair<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Symmetry elements:\n
                          \n
                        • E<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • C2 axis (through S and lone pair)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • One \u03c3v plane (contains C2 and equatorial F atoms)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • Point group<\/strong>: C2v<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                          \n\n\n\n

                          5. [PtCl\u2083NH\u2083]\u207b (square planar)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            \n
                          • Geometry: square planar around Pt<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          • NH\u2083 occupies one position; Cl atoms the rest<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          • Symmetry:\n
                              \n
                            • E<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • One \u03c3v through NH\u2083 and opposite Cl<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • No C2 due to different ligand<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • Point group<\/strong>: Cs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                              \n\n\n\n

                              Summary<\/strong>:
                              Symmetry assignment involves identifying geometry, visualizing elements like rotation axes and mirror planes, and matching these to known point groups. This helps understand molecular vibrations, spectroscopy, and reactivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              \"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                              Assign symmetry operations (Inorganic Chemistry) to the following molecules 1. Binder Clip 2. I3- (including lone pairs) 3. PCl3F2 (isomers) 4. SF4 5. [PtCl3NH3]- (ignore Hs on N) square planar NH3 bonded through N Please explain how to do this. The Correct Answer and Explanation is: To assign symmetry operations to molecules in Inorganic Chemistry, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-238535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exams-certification"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238535"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238535\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}