Chapter 9, Problem 10PE

Practice Exercise 9.10

The phosphine molecule, PH), has a trigonal pyramidal shape with H — P—H bond angles equal to $93.7°$. as shown in the margin. Give the orbital diagram for phosphorus in the ${\text{PH}}_{\text{3}}$ molecule and indicate the orbitals that share electrons with those from hydrogen. On a set of xyz coordinate axes, sketch the orbital overlaps that give rise to the P—H bonds.