Question

$PCl_5$ is well known, but $NCl_5$ is not. Because,

• A. nitrogen is less reactive than phosphorous
• B. nitrogen doesn’t have d-orbitals in its valence shell.
• C. catenation tendency is weaker in nitrogen than phosphorous.
• D. size of phosphorous is larger than nitrogen

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

nitrogen doesn’t have d-orbitals in its valence shell.

Answer 2

$PCl_5$ is well known but $NCl_5$ is not because nitrogendoes not have vacant d-orbitals in its valence shell.
So, nitrogen cannot expand its octet.
On the other hand phosphorus has vacant d-orbitals in its valence shell which enables it to expand its octet.

Therefore, the correct option is (B): nitrogen doesn’t have d-orbitals in its valence shell.