Explain why NCl3 gets easily hydrolysed but NF3 does not.

When we look at the electronic configurations of Nitrogen, Flourine and chlorine, we see that only chlorine has a vacant d orbital.


N : [He] 2s2 2p3


F : [He] 2s2 2p5


Cl : [Ne] 3s2 3p5


Ne : [He] 2s2 2p6


He :1s2


Due, to the presence of the vacant d orbital, Cl can easily accommodate the electrons during the hydrolysis of NCl3 which NF3 cannot do. So, NCl3 gets hydrolysed easily.


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