P- BLOCK ELEMENTS

1) The elements belonging to groups 13 to 18

constitute p block elements.
2)The general electronic configuration for the
atoms of this block is ns²np¹.
3) The group 13 of the periodic table consists of
elements boron , aluminium, gallium, indium and
thallium.
4) Except boron, which is classified as a non metat,
all other elements of this group are metals.
 GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF GROUP 13
ELEMENTS
1) ATOMIC AND IONIC RADII : -
On moving down the group, the atomic and ionic radii increases as
no. of shells increases.

2) MELTING AND BOILING POINT : -

The melting and boiling point decreases on moving down the
group.

3) IONISATION ENERGY : -
On moving down the group,ionisation energies decreases.

4) ELECTROPOSITIVE CHARACTER : -
The group 13 elements have less electropositive character.

5) TENDENCY TO FORM COVALENT COMPOUNDS :-

In group 13 elements boron shows covalent character, the other
elements show ionic character.
 Comparative study of compounds of group 13
elements
1) HYDRIDES:
Boron forms a no. of hydrides having the general formula BnHn+4 and
BnHn+6. The compounds of boron and hydrogen are called boranes. These
contain special types of bonds known as multicentre bonds.
3NaBH4 + AlCl3 ------------ Al[(BH4)3] + 3NaCl

2) OXIDES AND HYDROXIDES:

All the elements of group 13 form oxides of general formula M2O3. For
e.g. B2O3 , AL2O3. The oxide of boron is B2O3 and known as boric oxide.
2H3BO3 ------------ B2O3 +3H2O
The oxides and hydroxides of boron are weakly acidic and therefore , react
with
alkalies B2O3+ NaOH--------- 2NaBO2 + H2O
Sodium metaborate
3)OXO ACIDS :- Boric acids

Among the oxyacids of group 13 elements, orthoboric acids B(OH)3 or H3BO3

is important. Some boric acids are known for e.g.
1) Orthoboric acid H3BO3
2)Metaboric acid HBO2
3)pyroboric acid H₆B₄O₉
Structure of Boric acid:
1) The electronic configuration of boron atom
is 2s² 2p¹.
2) In orthoboric acid, BO₃³- units are bonded
together through hydrogen bonds into two-
dimensional sheet.
3) The hydrogen bonding in one H₃BO₃ unit is
shown in fig (1) and complete structure is
shown in fig (2).
4) It is evident that each boron atom remains
bonded to three oxygen atoms and each oxygen
atom is bonded to a hydrogen atom.
CHEMISTRY OF SOME IMPORTANT
COMPOUNDS
DIBORANE:
It is the simplest of the boranes and it forms
the starting material for the preparation of other boranes.
PREPARATION OF DIBORANE
1)It can be prepared in small quantities by the reaction of
iodine on sodium borohydride in diglyme

[( CH2OCH2CH2)2O].
2NaBH4 + I2----------> B2H6 + 2NaI + H2

2) It can also be prepared by the reduction of boron halides

with reducing agents like LiH, NaH, CaH2etc.in ether
solution.
8BF3 + 6LiH ----------> B2H6 + 6LiBF4
2BCl3 + 6NaH---------> B2H6 + 6NaCl
3) It can be prepared by passing silent electric discharge
through a mixture of hydrogen and boron trichloride at
low pressure.
2BCl3 + 6H2O----------- > B2H6 + 6HCl

4) On an industrial scale, diborane is prepared by

reducing gaseous BF3 with sodium hydride at 180⁰ C.
2BF3 + 6NaH-------------- > B2H6 + 6NaF
 PROPERTIES OF DIBORANE
PHYSICAL STATE :- It is a colourless gas with a foul smell.

2) STABILITY : - It is stable only at low temperature when heated at

temperatures b/w 100 ⁰ C and 250 ⁰ C, it changes to a no. of higher
boranes.
B2H6 ---------------- > B4H10, B5H9, B5H11, B6H10 etc.

3) ACTION OF OXYGEN :- It is spontaneously flammable and burns in

oxygen liberating a lot of energy.
B2H6 + 3O2---------- > B2O3 + 3H2O

4) HYDROLYSIS : - it gets readily hydrolysed yielding boric acid and

hydrogen.so, it acts as a reducing agent.
B2H6 + 6 H2O ------> 2H3BO3 + 6H2

5) ACTION WITH HALOGEN:-

B2H6 + Cl2----------> B2H5Cl + HCl
B2H6 + HI---------- > B2H5I + H2

6) ACTION WITH HYDRIDES : -

2NaH + B2H6--------> 2Na[BH4]
6) REACTION WITH PYRIDINE:- Diborane combines with
pyridine to form salt.
B2H6 + 2 C5H5N----------- > 2H3B⁻‹—N⁺C5H5

7) ACTION WITH BORON HALIDES:- Diborane reacts with

boron halides to form halodiboranes
B2H6 + BCl3---------------- > B2H5Cl + BHCl2

8) ADDITION TO ALKENES- HYDROBORATION

REACTION :-
Diborane is added to the alkenes or alkynes in ether solvents at room
temperature to form alkyl borane.
6RCH=CH2 + B2H6 --------- > 2(RCH-CH2)3B

C2H5COOH
(RCH-CH2)3B --------------- > 3RCH2 CH3
(alkane)
H2O2/OH⁻
(RCH-CH2)3B ---------------- > 3RCH2CH2OH + H3BO3
(1⁰ alcohol) (boric acid)
STRUCTURE AND BONDING OF DIBORANE
From the electron diffraction and infra red spectroscopic
studies, it has been concluded that diborane has the following
structure—

In diborane structure,
1) There are two types of hydrogen atoms.
2) Four hydrogen atoms, two on the left and two on the right
known as terminal hydrogens, are different than the other two
hydrogen atoms, known as bridging atoms.
3) The two boron atoms and the four terminal hydrogen
atoms lie in the same plane.
4) While the two bridging atoms, one above and other below
are in a plane at right angle to the rest of the molecule.
NATURE OF BONDS IN DIBORANE-

There are three centre electron pair bonds , B-H-

B involving one electron pair bonds which binds
three atoms : B, H and B.such a bond may be
indicated as H…..B…..H.

It was postulated that boron atoms undergoes sp3

hybridisation involving one 2s and all the three p
orbitals including one empty orbital.

The four sp3 hybrid orbitals adopt tetrahedral

arrangements.
The hybrid orbital containing an unpaired
electron of one boron and the vacant hybrid
orbital of the second boron atoms overlap
simuntaneously with 1s orbital of a hydrogen
atom to form a B…..H…..B bridge bond.

It is called a three centre electron pair bond.

This type of bond is also known as BANANA

BOND.
BORAZINE:-
It is isoelectronic with benzene because of its similarity in
physical properties and structure, it has been known as inorganic
benzene.
1)PREPARATION:-
it was first prepared by alfred stock in 1926 by the reaction of
diborane and ammonia in the molar ratio of 1:2 at 250-300⁰C.
3B2H₆+ 6NH₃---------- 2B₃N₃H₆ +12H₂
2)

It can also be prepared by the direct reaction of alkali metal

borohydrides with ammonium chloride.
3NaBH4+ 3NH4Cl------------- B₃N₃H₆+ 3NaCl + 9H₂