TKT 2023

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

ASSIGNMENT 3

TOPIC 3:

Descriptive Chemistry of Representative Elements

PREPARED BY:

NAME MATRIC NUMBER

AZFATINI BT NAWI D20081032320
ZETY LIYANA BT ZAINAL ABIDIN D20081032351

GROUP: B

LECTURER: MDM. NORHAYATI BT HASHIM

ZETY LIYANA BT ZAINAL ABIDIN

D20081032351
Diagonal Effect
A diagonal relationship is said to exist between certain pairs of diagonally adjacent elements in
the second and third periods of the periodic table. The example of these pairs are Li & Mg, Be & Al, B
& Si. These pairs exhibit similar properties; for example, Boron and Silicon are both semiconductors,
form halides that are hydrolysed in water and have acidic oxides. Such a relationship occurs because
crossing and descending the periodic table have opposing effects. Theoretically, the elements in the
same group or period will share the common properties. However, in due to diagonal effect, the pairs
will exhibit the similar properties; even they are not in the same group or period.
The phenomenon happens on the size of atom. Across a period of the periodic table, the size of
the atoms decreases, and down a group of periodic table, the size of the atoms increases. For example,
the ionic radius of Li and Mg are about the same, which are 0.73 and 0.71, respectively. Compared to
the ionic radius of Li and Be (which in the same period), the ionic radius of Li and Mg are more similar
in value. From the periodic table, we can see that Li and Mg are not in the same group or period. T his
phenomenon occurs due to the diagonal effects that occur to the pair.
It also can be observed in the closeness of the charge densities of their cations, or charge density.
For example, the charge density of Be is 4.9. Compared to the other elements in the same period (Li and
B), the charge density of those elements are so much different (1.4 and 12, respectively). However,
compared to Al, the element which has diagonal relationship with Be, the charge density is about the
same, which is 5.7. So, its small size & high charge density of cation Be2+ and Al3+ allow them to
polarize the electron cloud of anion (X atom in M-X bond) to give additional covalent character such as
Al-X and Be-X.
This phenomenon also can be observed in the electronegativity. Similarly, on moving across the
period, the elements become progressively more covalent, less basic and more electronegative, whereas
on moving down the group the elements become more ionic, more basic and less electronegative.
However, due to diagonal effect, the elements which are in different period and group may have the
same value of electronegativity. For example, Be and Al have the same electronegativity which is 1.5.
This same electronegativity will exhibit the same chemical property, which is the ability of an atom to
attract electrons (or electron density) towards itself
Thus, the diagonal relationship is due to increase in the charge in the ion and decrease in the size
of ion as we move along the period. When we go down the group there will be decrease in the polarising
power. These both cancel up when we move along the periodic table diagonally. The elements with
similar properties which have similar chemistry are often found - the atomic size, electronegativity,
properties of compounds and other properties of the diagonal members are similar.

AZFATINI BT NAWI
D20081032320
Inert Pair Effect
Inert pair effect is the tendency of the outermost s electrons to remain nonionized or unshared in
compounds of post-transition metals. The term inert pair effect is often used in relation to the increasing
stability of oxidation states that are 2 less than the group valency for the heavier elements of
groups 13, 14, 15 and 16.
The typical oxidation state shown by elements in Group 4 is +4, found in compounds like CCl 4,
SiCl4 and SnO2.With tin, the +4 state is still more stable than the +2, but by the time you get to lead, the
+2 state is the more stable - and dominates the chemistry of lead. The only common example of the +2
oxidation state in carbon chemistry occurs in carbon monoxide, CO. Carbon monoxide is a strong
reducing agent because it is easily oxidised to carbon dioxide - where the oxidation state is the more
thermodynamically stable +4. By the time you get down the Group as far as tin, the +2 state has become
increasingly common, and there is a good range of both tin(II) and tin(IV) compounds. However, tin(IV)
is still the more stable oxidation state of tin. That means that it will be fairly easy to convert tin(II)
compounds into tin(IV) compounds. This is best shown in the fact that Sn 2+ions in solution are good
reducing agents. However, as you go down the Group, there are more and more examples where the
oxidation state is +2, such as SnCl2, PbO, and Pb2+.

The increase in size of atom is accompanied by a decrease of ionization energy. The ionization

energy of an atom measures how strongly an atom holds its electrons. The ionization energy is the
minimum energy required to remove an electron from the ground state of the isolated gaseous atom.
Within each period (row) the ionization energy typically increases with atomic number. Within each
group (column) the ionization energy typically decreases with increasing atomic number. As the
effective charge increases, or as the distance of the electron from the nucleus decreases, the greater the
attraction between the nucleus and the electron. The effective charge increases across a period, in
addition, the atomic radius decreases. As we move down a group the distance from the nucleus increases
and the attraction of the electrons for the nucleus decreases.

As an example in group 13 the +1 oxidation state of Tl is the most stable and Tl III compounds are
comparatively rare. The stability increases in the following sequence:
AlI < GaI < InI < TlI. The situation in groups 14, 15 and 16 is that the stability trend is similar going
down the group, but for the heaviest members, e.g. lead, bismuth and polonium both oxidation states are
known. The lower oxidation state in each of the elements in question has 2 valence electrons in s
orbitals. On the face of it a simple explanation could be that the valence electrons in an s orbital are
more tightly bound are of higher energy than electrons in p orbitals and therefore less likely to be
involved in bonding. Unfortunately this explanation does not stand up. If the totalionization potentials of
the 2 electrons in s orbitals (the 2d + 3d ionization potentials), are examined it can be seen that they
increase in the sequence: In < Al < Tl < Ga.
There are two major reasons for this effect. First is larger than normal effective nuclear charges
(higher than expected ionization energies for Ga, In, Tl). 4s, 5s and 6s electrons experience larger
effective nuclear charge than expected so they are more difficult to ionize. Second is lower bond
energies due to increase in atomic size and bond distance.