Chemistry - CHEMICAL BONDING Question with Solution | TestHub

In the ClO₃⁻ (chlorate) ion, the central Chlorine atom undergoes sp³ hybridization, forming three $\sigma$ bonds and housing one lone pair. To minimize formal charges, Chlorine forms two double bonds with two of the oxygen atoms. Since Chlorine is a third-period element, it utilizes its vacant $3d$ orbitals to overlap with the $2p$ orbitals of oxygen to create these $\pi$ bonds. Consequently, the total number of $d\pi -p\pi$ bonds in the ion is 2.