applying VESPR/hybridization to sulfuric acid

[poc91nc]

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screw it hybridization probably doesn't work

 

[Lonely Sol]

Can VESPR/hybridization be applied to sulfuric acid???

According to VESPR...sulfuric acid should be tetrahedral and therefore sp3 since it is the conformaion that will minimize electron repulsions. Ok...that seems fine and in both cases sulfur seems to be sp3. But how does the sp3 hybridization scheme work in both cases? If you draw out all the hybrid orbitals according to VESPR, and try to see how all relevant orbitals overlap...it doesn't seem to make sense.

Like the first resonance form...by looking at it...O-H (sp3-s)...if that's the case, both remaining sp3 orbitals (of sulfur) have lone pairs...how do you get sigma bonding with the remaining oxygens? Also...where does the partial double bonding occur?? Between the p orbital of oxygen and dxy orbital of sulfur??

Does anybody know of a scheme to make the hybridization and VESPR agree with on another?

Are you having trouble understanding the resonance structured of H2SO4?, if so then dont forget the Hydrogen shift.

 

[poc91nc]

No...just trying to rationalize sulfur sp3 and where the partial double bonding occurs (between parallel p and dxy?)...if you do the hybridization (assuming sp3 sulfur to minimize repulsion) and try to overlap all orbitals and get the proper lewis structure...it doesn't seem to add up.

 

[poc91nc]

The structure regardless of which resonance form gives four areas of high electron density right??? Shouldn't sulfur be sp3? The rest of the question follows

 

[poc91nc]

Screw it...hybridization probably doesn't work...wish I knew how to construct an MO diagram for sulfuric acid...but then again if I could I probably wouldn't be here.

 

[Lonely Sol]

Yea man, just let it go. This will definately not be on DAT, however, it is an interesting question.