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Class XII: Chemistry

Chapter 7: The p-Block Elements
Top Concepts
1. p-Block elements: Elements belonging to groups 13 to 18 of the
periodic table are called p-block elements.
2. General electronic configuration of p-block elements: The p-
block elements are characterized by the ns
2
np
1-6
valence shell
electronic configuration.
3. Representative elements: Elements belonging to the s and p-blocks
in the periodic table are called the representative elements or main
group elements.
4. Inert pair effect: The tendency of ns
2
electron pair to participate in
bond formation decreases with the increase in atomic size. Within a
group the higher oxidation state becomes less stable with respect to
the lower oxidation state as the atomic number increases. This trend is
called `inert pair effect. In other words, the energy required to unpair
the electrons is more than energy released in the formation of two
additional bonds.
5. Nitrogen family: The elements of group 15 - nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb) and bismuth (Bi) belong
to configuration is ns
2
np
3
.
6. Oxygen family: Group 16 of periodic table consists of five elements -
oxygen (O), sulphur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te) and polonium
(Po). Their general electronic configuration is ns
2
np
4
.
7. The halogen family: Group 17 elements, fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl),
bromine (Br), iodine (I) and astatine (At), belong to halogen family.
Their general electronic configuration is ns
2
np
5
.
8. Group 18 elements: Helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton
(Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon (Rn) are Group 18 elements. They are
also called noble gases. Their general electronic configuration is ns
2
np
6

except helium which has electronic configuration 1s
2
. They are called
noble gases because they show very low chemical reactivity.

GROUP 15 ELEMENTS
9. Atomic and ionic radii: Covalent and ionic radii increase down the
group. There is appreciable increase in covalent radii from N to P.
There is small increase from As to Bi due to presence of completely
filled d or f orbitals in heavy elements.
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10. Ionisation energy: It goes on decreasing down the group due to
increase in atomic size. Group 15 elements have higher ionisation
energy than group 14 elements due to smaller size of group 15
elements. Group 15 elements have higher ionization energy than
group 16 elements because they have stable electronic configuration
i.e., half filled p-orbitals.
11. Allotropy: All elements of Group 15 except nitrogen show allotropy.
12. Catenation: Nitrogen shows catenation to some extent due to triple
bond but phosphorus shows catenation to maximum extent. The
tendency to show catenation decreases down the group.
13. Oxidation states: The common oxidation states are +3, +5, -3. The
tendency to show -3 oxidation state decreases down the group due to
decrease in electronegativity which is due to increase in atomic size.
The stability of +5 oxidation state decreases whereas stability of +3
oxidation state increases due to inert pair effect.
Nitrogen shows oxidation states from -3 to +5.
Nitrogen and phosphorus with oxidation states from +1 to +4 undergo
oxidation as well as reduction in acidic medium. This process is called
disproportionation.
3 HNO
2
HNO
3
+ H
2
O + 2 NO
14. Reactivity towards hydrogen: All group 15 elements from
trihydrides, MH
3
. Hybridisation - sp
3

The stability of hydrides decrease down the group due to decrease in
bond dissociation energy down the group.
NH
3
>

PH
3
> AsH
3
> SbH
3
> BiH
3
Boiling point: PH
3
< AsH
3
< NH
3
< SbH
3
< BiH
3
Boiling point increases with increase in size due to increase in van der
Waals forces. Boiling point of NH
3
is more because of hydrogen
bonding.
Bond angle: NH
3
(107.8) > PH
3
(99.5) > AsH
3
(91.8) SbH
3

(91.3) > BiH
3
(90)
Electronegativity of N is highest. Therefore, the lone pairs will be
towards nitrogen and hence more repulsion between bond pairs.
Therefore bond angle is the highest. After nitrogen, the
electronegativity decreases down the group.
Basicity decreases as NH
3
> PH
3
> AsH
3
> SbH
3
< BiH
3
.
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This is because the lone pair of electrons are concentrated more on
nitrogen and hence the basicity will be maximum in the case of NH
3
. It
will decrease down the group as the electronegativity decreases down
the group.
The reducing power of hydrides increases down the group due to
decrease in bond dissociation energy down the group.
15. Reactivity towards oxygen: All group 15 elements from trioxides
(M
2
O
3
) and pentoxides (M
2
O
5
).
Acidic character of oxides decreases and basicity increases down the
group. This is because the size of nitrogen is very small. It has a
strong positive field in a very small area. Therefore, it attracts the
electrons of waters O-H bond to itself and release H
+
ions easily. As
we move down the group, the atomic size increases. Hence, the acidic
character of oxides decreases and basicity increases as we move down
the group.
16. Reactivity towards halogen: Group 15 elements form trihalides and
pentahalides.
Trihalides - covalent compounds and become ionic down the group.
sp
3
hybridisation , pyramidal shape
Pentahalides - sp
3
d hybridisation, TBP shape
They are lewis acids because of the presence of vacant d - orbitals.
PCl
5
+ Cl
-
[PCl
6
]
-
PCl
5
is ionic in solid state and exist as

[PCl
4
]
+
[PCl
6
]
-
In PCl
5
, there are three equatorial bonds and two axial bonds.

The
axial bonds are longer than equatorial bonds because of greater
repulsion from equatorial bonds.
Nitrogen does not form pentahalides due to absence of d- orbitals.
17. Reactivity towards metals: All elements react with metals to form
binary compounds in -3 oxidation state.
18. Anomalous behaviour of nitrogen: The behaviour of nitrogen
differs from rest of the elements.
Reason:
i. It has a small size.
ii. It does not have d - orbitals
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iii. It has high electronegativity
iv. It has high ionization enthalpy
19. Dinitrogen:
Preparation:
heat
4 2 2 2
NH Cl(aq) NaNO (aq) N (g) 2H O(l) NaCl(aq) + + +
( )
heat
4 2 7 2 2 2
2
NH Cr O N 4H O Cr O + +
3

( )
heat
3 2
2
Ba N Ba 3 N +
Properties:
It is a colouless, odourless, tasteless and non - toxic gas. It is
chemically un-reactive at ordinary temperature due to triple bond in
N N which has high bond dissociation energy.
20. Ammonia: Ammonia molecule is trigonal pyramidal with nitrogen
atom at the apex. It has 3 bond pairs and 1 lone pair. N is sp
3

hybridised.
Preparation:
Habers process:
o 1
2 2 3 f
5
2 2 3
N (g) 3H (g) 2 NH (g) H 46.1 kJ
Pr essure 200x10 Pa
Temperature 773 K
Catalyst is FeO with small amounts of K O and Al O

+ A
=
=

mol =

21. Nitric Acid:
a. Ostwald Process:
Pt /Rhgauge
3 2 2
500 K,9bar
4NH 5O 4NO 6H O ......(i) + +
2 2
2NO O 2NO ......(ii) +

2 2 3
3NO (g) H O(l) 2HNO (aq) NO(g) ......(iii) + +

NO thus formed is recycled and the aqueous HNO
3
can be
concentrated by distillation upto ~ 68% by mass. Further
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concentration to 98% can be achieved by dehydration with
concentrated H
2
SO
4
.
Nitric acid is strong oxidizing agent in the concentrated as well as in
the dilute state.
22. Phosphorus:
a. It shows the property of catenation to maximum extent due to
most stable P - P bond.
b. It has many allotropes, the important ones are :
i. White phosphorus
ii. Red phosphorus
iii. Black phosphorus

White phosphorus Red phosphorus

Black phosphorus

Discrete tetrahedral
P
4
molecules
Polymeric structure
consisting of chains of P
4

units linked together
Exists in two forms - o
black P and | black P
Very reactive Less reactive than white P Very less reactive
Glows in dark Does not glow in dark -
Translucent waxy
solid
Has an iron grey luster Has an opaque
monoclinic or
rhombohedral crystals
Soluble in CS
2
but
insoluble in water
Insoluble in water as well as
CS
2
-
It has low ignition
temperature,
therefore, kept under
water

- -



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Preparation:

23. Phosphine:
Preparation:
i.
( )
3 2 2 2 3
Ca P 6H O 3Ca(OH) 2PH
calcium calcium
water phosphine
phosphide hydroxide
+ +
| | | |
| |
\ . \ .

( )
3 2 2 3
Ca P 6HCl 3CaCl 2PH
phosphine
+ +

ii.
( )
4 2 2 2
P 3NaOH 3H O 3NaH PO PH
sodium
phosphine
hypophosphite
+ + +
| |
|
\ .
3

Phosphine is highly poisonous, colourless gas and has a smell of rotten
fish.




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24. Chlorides of Phosphorous:
PCl
3
PCl
5
Colourless oily liquid Yellowish white powder
4 2
P 6Cl 4PCl +
3
2
P 8SOCl 4PCl 4SO 2S Cl + + +
5
4 2 3 2 2


4 2
P 10Cl 4PCl +
4 2 2 5 2
P 10SO Cl 4PCl 10SO + +

Is hydrolysed in the presence of
moisture
3 2 3 3
PCl 3H O H PO 3HCl + +

5 2 3
3 2 3 4
PCl H O POCl 2HCl
POCl 3 H O H PO 3HCl
+ +
+ +

3 CH
3
COOH + PCl
3
3 CH
3
COCl +
H
3
PO
3
3 CH
3
COOH + PCl
5
CH
3
COCl +
POCl
3
) *+,
3 C
2
H
5
OH + PCl
3
3 C
2
H
5
Cl + H
3
PO
3
C
2
H
5
OH + PCl
5
C
2
H
5
Cl + POCl
3
)
*+,
Pyramidal shape, sp
3
hybridisation TBP geometry, sp
3
d hybridisation
- 2Ag + PCl
5
2 AgCl + PCl
3
Sn + 2 PCl
5
SnCl
4
+ 2 PCl
3

GROUP 16 ELEMENTS
25. Oxidation states: They show -2, +2, +4, +6 oxidation states.
Oxygen does not show +6 oxidation state due to absence of d -
orbitals. Po does not show +6 oxidation state due to inert pair effect.
The stability of -2 oxidation state decreases down the group due to
increase in atomic size and decrease in electronegativity.
Oxygen shows -2 oxidation state in general except in OF
2
and O
2
F
2
The stability of +6 oxidation state decreases and +4 oxidation state
increases due to inert pair effect.
26. Ionisation enthalpy: Ionisation enthalpy of elements of group 16 is
lower than group 15 due to half filled p-orbitals in group 15 which are
more stable. However, ionization enthalpy decreases down the group.
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27. Electron gain enthalpy: Oxygen has less negative electron gain
enthalpy than S because of small size of O.
From S to Po electron gain enthalpy becomes less negative to Po
because of increase in atomic size.
28. Melting and boiling point: It increases with increase in atomic
number. Oxygen has much lower melting and boiling points than
sulphur because oxygen is diatomic (O
2
) and sulphur is octatomic (S
8
).
29. Reactivity with hydrogen:
All group 16 elements form hydrides.
Bent shape

Acidic nature: H
2
O < H
2
S < H
2
Se < H
2
Te
This is because the H-E bond length increases down the group.
Therefore, the bond dissociation enthalpy decreases down the group.
Thermal stability: H
2
O < H
2
S < H
2
Se < H
2
Te < H
2
Po
This is because the H-E bond length increases down the group.
Therefore, the bond dissociation enthalpy decreases down the group.
Reducing character: H
2
O < H
2
S < H
2
Se < H
2
Te < H
2
Po
This is because the H-E bond length increases down the group.
Therefore, the bond dissociation enthalpy decreases down the group.
30. Reactivity with oxygen: EO
2
and EO
3

Reducing character of dioxides decreases down the group because
oxygen has a strong positive field which attracts the hydroxyl group
and removal of H
+
becomes easy.
Acidity also decreases down the group.
SO
2
is a gas whereas SeO
2
is solid. This is because SeO
2
has a chain
polymeric structure whereas SO
2
forms discrete units.

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31. Reactivity with halogens: EX
2
EX
4
and EX
6

The stability of halides decreases in the order F
-
> Cl
-
> Br
-
> I
-
. This
is because E-X bond length increases with increase in size.
Among hexa halides, fluorides are the most stable because of steric
reasons.
Dihalides are sp
3
hybridised, are tetrahedral in shape.
Hexafluorides are only stable halides which are gaseous and have
sp
3
d
2
hybridisation and octahedral structure.
H
2
O is a liquid while H
2
S is a gas. This is because strong hydrogen
bonding is present in water. This is due to small size and high
electronegativity of O.
32. Oxygen:
Preparation:
heat
3 2
MnO
2
finely divided metals
2 2 2 2
2KClO 2KCl 3O
2H O ( ) 2H O(l) O (g)
+
+ aq

heat
2 2
2
3 4 2
2 2
2Ag O( ) 4Ag( ) O ( )
2HgO( ) 2Hg(l) O (g)
2Pb O ( ) 6PbO( ) O ( )
(Red lead)
2PbO ( ) 2PbO( ) O ( )
A
A
A
+
+
+
+
s s g
s
s s g
s s !

33. Oxides:
The compounds of oxygen and other elements are called oxides.
Types of oxides:
a. Acidic oxides: Non- metallic oxides are usually acidic in nature.
2 2 2 3
SO H O H SO (sulphurous acid) +
b. Basic oxides: Metallic oxides are mostly basic in nature. Basic
oxides dissolve in water forming bases e.g.,
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2 2
2 2
2 2
Na O H O 2NaOH
K O H O 2KOH
CaO H O Ca(OH)
+
+
+

c. Amphoteric oxides: They show characteristics of both acidic as
well as basic oxides.

2 3 3 2
2 3 2 3 6
Al O 6HCl( ) 2AlCl ( ) 3H O
Al O 6NaOH( ) 3H O( ) 2Na [Al(OH) ]( )
+ +
+ +
aq aq
aq l aq
d. Neutral oxides: These oxides are neither acidic nor basic.
Example: Co, NO and N
2
O

34. Ozone:
Preparation:
i. It is prepared by passing silent electric discharge through pure
and dry oxygen 10 - 15 % oxygen is coverted to ozone.
1
2 3
3O ( ) 2O ( ); H 142 kJ mol

A = + g g
Structure of Ozone: Ozone has angular structure. Both O = O bonds
are of equal bond length due to resonance.
35. Sulphur:
Sulphur exhibits allotropy:
a. Yellow Rhombic (o - sulphur):
b. Monoclinic (|- sulphur):
369 K
Sulphur Sulphur o |

At 369 K both forms are stable. It is called transition temperature.
Both of them have S
8
molecules. The ring is puckered and has a crown
shape.
Another allotrope of sulphur - cyclo S
6
ring adopts a chair form.
S
2
is formed at high temperature (~ 1000 K). It is paramagnetic
because of 2 unpaired electrons present in anti bonding t* orbitals like
O
2
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36. Sulphuric acid:
Preparation: By contact process
8 2
1
S O SO
8
+
2

V O
1
2 5
2 2 3
2bar
720K
2SO ( ) O ( ) 2SO ( ) H 196.6kJ mol
Exothermic reaction and therfore low temperature and high pressure
are favourable
u
+ A = g g g

3 2 4 2 2 7
SO (g) H SO H S O (Oleum) +
2 2 7 2 2 4
H S O H O 2 H SO
(96 98%)
+

It is dibasic acid or diprotic acid.
It is a strong dehydrating agent.
It is a moderately strong oxidizing agent.

GROUP 17 ELEMENTS
37. Atomic and ionic radii: Halogens have the smallest atomic radii in
their respective periods because of maximum effective nuclear charge.
38. Ionisation enthalpy: They have very high ionization enthalpy
because of small size as compared to other groups.
39. Electron gain enthalpy: Halogens have maximum negative electron
gain enthalpy because these elements have only one electron less than
stable noble gas configuration.
Electron gain enthalpy becomes less negative down the group because
atomic size increases down the group.
40. Eelctronegativity: These elements are highly electronegative and
electronegativity decreases down the group. They have high effective
nuclear charge.
41. Bond dissociation enthalpy:
Bond dissociation enthalpy follows the order Cl
2
> Br
2
> F
2
> I
2

This is because as the size increases bond length increases.
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Bond dissociation enthalpy of Cl
2
is more than F
2
because there are
large electronic repulsions of lone pairs present in F
2
.
42. Colour: All halogens are coloured because of absorption of radiations
in visible region which results in the excitation of outer electrons to
higher energy levels.
43. Oxidising power: All halogens are strong oxidisinga gents because
they have a strong tendency to accept electrons.
Order of oxidizing power is F
2
> Cl
2
> Br
2
> I
2
44. Reactivity with H
2
:
Acidic strength: HF < HCl < HBr < HI
Stability: HF > HCl > HBr > HI
This is because of decrease in bond dissociation enthalpy.
Boiling point: HCl < HBr < HI < HF
HF has strong intermolecular H bonding
As the size increases van der Waals forces increases and hence boiling
point increases.
% Ionic character: HF > HCl > HBr > HI
Dipole moment: HF > HCl > HBr > HI
Electronegativity decreases down the group.
Reducing power: HF < HCl < HBr < HI
45. Reactivity with metals: Halogens react with metals to form halides.
Ionic character: MF > MCl > MBr > MI
Halides in higher oxidation state will be more covalent than the one in
the lower oxidation state.
46. Interhalogen compounds: Reactivity of halogens towards other
halogens:
Binary compounds of two different halogen atoms of general formula
X X
n
are called interhalogen compounds where n = 1, 3, 5, or 7
These are covalent compounds.
All these are covalent compounds.
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Interhalogen compounds are more reactive than halogens because X-
X is a more polar bond than X-X bond.
All are diamagnetic.
Their melting point is little higher than halogens.
XX (CIF, BrF, BrCl, ICl, IBr, IF) (Linear shape)
XX
3
(CIF
3
, BrF
3
, IF
3
, ICl
3
) (Bent T- shape)
XX
5
- CIF
5
, BrF
5
, IF
5
, (square pyramidal shape)
XX
7
- IF
7
(Pentagonal bipyramidal shape)
47. Oxoacids of halogens:
Fluorine forms only one oxoacid HOF (Fluoric (I) acid or hypofluorous
acid) due to high electronegativity.
Acid strength: HOCl < HClO
2
< HClO
3
< HClO
4
Reason: HClO
4
H
+
+ ClO
4
-

most stable
Acid strength: HOF > HOCl > HOBr > HOI
This is because Fluorine is most electronegative.

GROUP 18 ELEMENTS:
48. Ionisation enthalpy: They have very high ionization enthalpy
because of completely filled orbitals.
Ionisation enthalpy decreases down the group because of increase in
size.
49. Atomic radii: Increases down the group because number of shells
increases down the group.
50. Electron gain enthalpy: They have large electron gain enthalpy
because of stable electronic configuration.
51. Melting and boiling point: Low melting and boiling point because
only weak dispersion forces are present.
52. XeF
2
is linear, XeF
4
is square planar and XeF
6
is distorted octahedral.
KrF
2
is known but no true compound of He Ne and Ar are known.
53. Compounds of Xe and F:
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673 K, 1bar
2 2
Xe F XeF +
873 K
2 4
7bar
Xe 2F XeF +
573 K
2 6
60 70 bar
Xe 3F XeF

+
4 2 2 6
XeF O F XeF O + +
2
2

XeF
2
, XeF
4
and XeF
6
are powerful fluorinating agents.
54. Compounds of Xe and O:
4 2 3
6 2 3
6XeF 12H O 4Xe 2XeO 24HF 3O
XeF 3 H O XeO 6HF
+ + + +
+ +




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