Which of the following halides is inert towards hydrolysis at room temperature? — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: For hydrolysis to occur at room temperature, the central atom of the halide must have vacant orbitals (such as d-orbitals) to accept a lone pair from a water molecule, or the bond must be easily polarizable. Step 2: In NF_3, Nitrogen is in the second period and lacks vacant d-orbitals. Fluorine is also in the second period with no vacant d-orbitals. Furthermore, the N-F bond is extremely strong and stable, with very low polarizability, preventing nucleophilic attack by water. Step 3: Therefore, NF_3 is completely inert towards hydrolysis at room temperature. Thus, the correct option is (d).