Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-chemistry-course-of-the-year-1-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/paper-1/6/a/ii/solution
Past exam of the chemistry course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge 2021 Paper 1 6 a ii Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
B-F has a large favorable polar/ionic contribution because electron-deficient boron and fluorine have a large electronegativity difference. Fluorine lone-pair donation into boron's empty 2p orbital can additionally strengthen bonding in planar BF. C-F is a strong, polar second-row sigma bond, but tetrahedral CF has no equivalent empty carbon 2p acceptor for that pi donation.
N-F has less favorable bond polarity and substantial repulsion between nitrogen and fluorine lone pairs, making it weaker. Invoking occupied boron d orbitals is unnecessary and inappropriate for this second-row comparison.
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