Phosphorus forms two chlorinated compounds that differ markedly in their bulk polarity: PX3 and PX5 (where X represents chlorine).
The electronegativity of P is 2.1; that of Cl is 3.0. Assume that all P–Cl bonds are of equal length and bond polarity.
(a) For each compound, predict the hybridization of the central P atom and the resulting molecular geometry.
(b) For each compound, identify the number of individual P–Cl bond dipoles and describe their spatial orientation based on the geometry obtained in part (a).
(c) Determine whether each compound is polar or non-polar. If polar, specify the approximate direction of the net molecular dipole moment relative to a set of Cartesian axes whose origin is at the P atom. Support your conclusions with reasoning that references the information provided above.