What is the hybridization of sulphur in sulphur hexafluoride?

sp³d²

The correct answer is option 4. sp³d².

The hybridization of sulfur in sulfur hexafluoride \((SF_6)\) is \(sp^3d^2\).

In sulfur hexafluoride, sulfur is bonded to six fluorine atoms. The electronic configuration of sulfur is \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4\). To accommodate six bonding pairs of electrons around sulfur, it undergoes hybridization. In the process of hybridization, one \(3s\) orbital, three \(3p\) orbitals, and two \(3d\) orbitals mix to form six equivalent \(sp^3d^2\) hybrid orbitals. These orbitals then overlap with the \(3p\) orbitals of six fluorine atoms to form six σ bonds in \(SF_6\). Therefore, the correct answer is \(sp^3d^2\)