Describe the change in hybridisation (if any) of the Al atom in the following reaction.

    \[AlCl _{3}+C l^{-} \rightarrow A l C l_{4}^{-}\]

Describe the change in hybridisation (if any) of the Al atom in the following reaction.

    \[AlCl _{3}+C l^{-} \rightarrow A l C l_{4}^{-}\]

Answer:

The hybridization of Al atom alters from sp ^{2} in AlCl _{3} to sp ^{3} in AlCl _{4}^{-}.
In AlCl _{3}, Al contains 3 bond pairs of electrons and zero lone pair of electrons. Hence, it is sp ^{2} hybridized.

In AlCl _{4}^{-}, Al atom has four electron bond pairs and no electron lone pairs, resulting in a total of four electron bond pairs.
Hence, it is sp ^{3} hybridized.

Thus, sp2 hybridization is converted into sp3 hybridization and results a tetrahedral structure.