Silicates

Silicates are derivatives of silicic acid, H2SiO4 or Si(OH)4 and

are prepared by fusing metal oxide or carbonates with sand, e.g.,
Fusion
SiO2 + Na2CO3   → Na SiO , Na (SiO ) etc.
4 4 2 3 n

A silicate in general has Si—O bond and possesses a complex

network solid having silicate ion [SiO4]4– as the basic structural
unit.

Fig. Structure of silicate ion.

(1) Orthosilicates : They contain single discrete unit of

tetrahedra, and some examples are as given below :
ZrSiO4 (Zircon)
Mg2SiO4 (Forestrite or Olivine)
Be2SiO4 (Phenacite)
Zn2SiO4 (Willemite)
(2) Pyrosilicates : They contain two units of SiO44– joined
along a corner containing O atom. They are called as Island
silicate also. For example :
Sc2Si2O7 (Thorteveitite)
Zn3(Si2O7)Zn(OH)2.H2O (Hemimorphite)
 Pyrosilicate ion Si2O76– :

(3) Cyclic or Ring structure silicates : Their general formula

is (SiO32–)n2n –.

Examples of ring silicates are given below :

Be3Al2Si6O18 (Beryl);
BaTiSi3O9 (Benitonite)
Ca3Si3O9 (Wollastonite);
Na2ZrSi3O9.2H2O (Catapleite)
 (4) Chain silicates : In chain silicates two O-atoms of each
tetrahedra [SiO4]4– unit share with another [SiO]4– unit.
Their two general formulas are, (SiO3)n2n–, (Si4O1)6n–
n .

Examples of chain silicates are given below :

Li2SiO3, Na2SiO3 (Synthetic silicates);
LiAl(SiO3)2 (Spodumene);
NaAl(SiO3)2 (Jadeite);
MgSiO3 (Enstatite);
CaMg(SiO3)2 (Diopside)
Ca2Mg5(Si4O11)2(OH)2 (Tremolite)
 (5) Two dimensional sheet silicates : In 2-D sheet silicates,
three O-atoms of each tetrahedra ([SiO4]4–) are shared with
neighbouring SiO44– tetrahedra. It results in the formation
of two dimensional sheet structure having general formula
(Si2O5)n2n–.
Tetrabasic

Tetrabasic
Table 5.10
Planner
(distorted trigonal planar)
 Possible Explanation of Structures
Formula Structure No. of No. No. of No. Hybridisation
electron of lone of
pairs sbp pairs pbp

XeF2 Linear 5 2 3 0 sp3d

XeF4 Square planar 6 4 2 0 sp3d2

Distorted
XeF6 7 6 1 0 sp3d3
Octahedron

XeO3 Pyramidal 7 3 1 3 sp3

Trigonal
XeO2F2 7 4 1 2 sp3d
bipyramid

Square
XeOF4 7 5 1 1 sp3d2
pyramidal

XeO4 Tetrahedral 8 4 0 4 sp3

Trigonal
XeO3F2 8 5 0 3 sp3d
bipyramid

Ba2[XeO6]4– Octahedral 8 6 0 2 sp3d2

 Test Based on Structures (Monday)
Timing : 15 Minutes

1. Which of the following pairs of ions is isoelectronic and isostructural ?

(a) CO32–, NO3– (b) ClO3–, CO32–
(c) SO32–, NO3– (d) ClO3–, SO32–

2. The correct geometry and hybridization for XeF4 are

(a) octahedral, sp3 d2 (b) trigonal bipyramidal, sp3d
(c) planar triangle, sp3 d3 (d) square planar, sp3 d2

3. In which of the following pairs, both the species are not isostructural ?
(a) Diamond, Silicon carbide (b) NH3, PH3
(c) XeF4, XeO4 (d) SiCl4, PCl4+

4. XeF2 is isostructural with

(a) SbCl3 (b) BaCl2 (c) TeF2 (d) ICl2–
5. In which of the following molecules the central atom does not have sp3
hybridization ?
(a) CH4 (b) SF4 (c) BF4– (d) NH4+

6. Which of the following is not isostructural with SiCl4 ?

(a) NH4+ (b) SCl4 (c) SO42– (d) PO43–
7. Which of the following molecules has trigonal planar geometry ?
(a) BF3 (b) NH3 (c) PCl3 (d) IF3

8. In a regular octahedral molecule, MX6 the number of X—M—X bonds at 180° is

(a) three (b) two (c) six (d) four

9. Which structure is linear ?

(a) SO2 (b) CO2 (c) CO32– (d) SO42–

10. The complex ion [Co(NH3)6]3+ is formed by sp3d2 hybridisation. Hence, the ion should
process
(a) octahedral geometry (b) tetrahedral geometry
(c) square planar geometry (d) tetragonal geometry
11. The structure of diborane contains
(a) two 2C-2e bond and two 3C-2e bonds
(b) two 2C-2e bond and two 2C-2e bonds
(c) four 2C-2e bond and two 3C-3e bonds
(d) four 2C-2e bond and two 2C-2e bonds
12. (Me)2SiCl2 on hydrolysis will produce
(a) (Me)2Si(OH)2 (b) (Me)2Si = O
–
(c) –[–O–(Me)2Si–O–]n (d) Me2SiCl(OH)
13. Graphite is a soft solid lubricant extremely difficult to melt. The reason for this anomalous
behaviour is that graphite :
(a) has molecules of variable molecular masses like polymer
(b) has carbon atoms arranged in large plated of rings of strongly bonded carbon
atoms with weak interplate bonds
(c) is a non-crystalline substance
(d) is an allotropic form of diamond
14. Diamond is hard because :
(a) all the four valence electrons are bonded to each carbon atoms by covalent bonds
(b) it is a giant molecule
(c) it is made-up of carbon atoms
(d) it cannot be burnt
15. The bond angle of NH3, PH3, AsH3 and SbH3 is in the order :
(a) PH3 > AsH3 < NH3 < SbH3 (b) SbH3 > AsH3 > PH3 > NH3
(c) SbH3 > AsH3 > NH3 > PH3 (d) NH3 > PH3 > AsH3 > SbH3
16. There is no S–S bond in:
(a) S2O42– (b) S2O52– (c) S2O32– (d) S2O72–
17. The acid having O—O bond is :
(a) H2S2O3 (b) H2S2O6 (c) H2S2O8 (d) H2S4O6
18. The type of hybrid orbitals used by the chlorine atom in ClO2– is :
(a) sp3 (b) sp2 (c) sp (d) None of these
19. Total number of lone pair of electron on Xe atom in XeOF4 is :
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3
20. The molecular shape of SF4, CF4 and XeF4 are :
(a) the same with 2, 0 and 1 lone pairs of electrons on the central atoms respectively
(b) the same with 1, 1 and 1 lone pairs of electrons on the central atoms respectively
(c) different with 0, 1 and 2 lone pairs of electrons on the central atoms, respectively
(d) different with 1, 0 and 2 lone pairs of electrons on the central atoms, respectively