Is ICl4- polar or nonpolar? – (Polarity of ICl4-)

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The question is –

Is ICl4 polar or nonpolar?

Answer:

ICl4 is non-polar.  

Explanation:

Tetrachloroiodide (ICl4) is a non-polar molecular ion as the dipole moments of polar I-Cl bonds get canceled equally in opposite directions in the symmetrical square planar molecular shape and geometry.

ICl4 consists of four I-Cl single covalent bonds.

Each I-Cl bond is polar as a specific electronegativity difference of 0.50 units exists between an iodine (E.N = 2.66) and a chlorine (E.N = 3.16) atom.

Only 4 valence electrons of the central I-atom get consumed in covalent bonding out of the 7 initially available in ICl4.

There are 2 lone pairs of electrons present on the central I-atom that carries a -1 formal charge.

This leads to strong lone pair-lone pair and lone pair-bond pair electronic repulsions.

Thus, ICl4 adopts a square planar shape, different from its ideal octahedral electron pair geometry.

The lone pairs are kept at a maximum distance from one another in the symmetrical square planar shape.

The oppositely pointing I-Cl dipole moments get canceled equally in the symmetrical molecular shape to yield an overall non-polar molecular ion (net µ = 0).

ICl4- polar or nonpolar

Also, check –

How to identify polar or nonpolar compounds?

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