Question

Only Iodine forms Hepta-fluoride IF₇, but Chlorine and Bromine give Penta-fluorides. The reason for this is :

• A. Low electron affinity of Iodine
• B. Unusual pentagonal bipyramidal structure of IF₇
• C. That the larger Iodine atom can accommodate more number of smaller Fluorine atom around it
• D. Low chemical reactivity of IF₇

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Due to larger size of iodine atom, it can accommodate up to seven small fluorine atoms around, while due to smaller sizes of chlorine and bromine atoms cannot accommodate seven fluorine atoms, i.e., steric factor dominate in case of chlorine and bromine.