According to Bent's Rule, which of the following statements correctly explains the preferred geometr — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Bent's Rule states that more electronegative substituents strongly prefer hybrid orbitals having less s-character. In a trigonal bipyramidal geometry ($sp^3d$), the axial positions are formed by $p_z$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals (virtually 0% s-character), while equatorial positions ($sp^2$) have 33.3% s-character. Thus, Fluorine occupies the axial sites.