Why Isn't HCl a Hydrogen Bond?

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SUMMARY

Hydrogen chloride (HCl) does not form hydrogen bonds due to the size and electronegativity of chlorine. While chlorine's electronegativity is comparable to nitrogen, the larger atomic radius of chlorine results in diffuse lone pairs that are insufficiently concentrated to facilitate hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonds typically occur between hydrogen and highly electronegative atoms such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine, which possess more localized lone pairs. Therefore, the bonding characteristics of HCl do not meet the criteria for hydrogen bonding.

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  • Basic chemistry concepts regarding molecular structure
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Cl gets similar electronegativity as N, NH3 is a hydrogen bond, but HCl isn't, why?
N and Cl also gets lone pair electrons! N and Cl is more or less the same.

Could anybody please answer this question?

Okay, if I rephrase it, it will become why the bonding between H and Cl isn't hydrogen bond?
But I actually think you can still get what I mean......:rolleyes:
 
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HCl is not a hydrogen bond because HCl is a molecule. Please try to reword your question, as it doesn't make sense right now.
 
Do you mean other than the fact that it is defined as such?

a hydrogen bond results from a hydrogen bonded to oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine.
 
Although one might expect hydrogen bonding to occur between HCl molecules, since Cl's electronegatively is on par with nitrogen for instance. However, chlorine is too large, and thus the lone pairs are too diffuse ie. not concentrated enough, and hence hydrogen bond attractions between Cl's lone pairs and hydrogen atoms can not form.
 
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Too diffuse, this suggests a good reason. So it is not a matter between the bonded Cl and H, but a matter bewteen the Cl lone pair and other Hydrogen atoms?
 
Yes, that's correct.
 

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