Question

Two statements are given below:
Statement I: SnF\(_4\), PbF\(_4\) are ionic in nature.
Statement II: GeCl\(_2\) is more stable than GeCl\(_4\).
The correct answer is:

• A. Both statements I & II are correct.
• B. Both statements I & II are not correct.
• C. Statement I is correct, but statement II is not correct.
• D. Statement I is not correct, but statement II is correct.

Hint:

When dealing with ionic compounds, check the charge on the metal ions and the electronegativity of the non-metals. For stability comparisons, larger oxidation states are often more stable for heavier elements, but smaller oxidation states tend to be more stable for lighter elements.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Statement I: 
SnF\(_4\) (tin tetrafluoride) and PbF\(_4\) (lead tetrafluoride) are indeed ionic compounds. This is because they are formed by the combination of metal cations (Sn\(^{4+}\) and Pb\(^{4+}\)) with fluoride anions (F\(^-\)) which result in the formation of ionic bonds. Hence, Statement I is correct.
Statement II: 
GeCl\(_2\) is not more stable than GeCl\(_4\). In fact, GeCl\(_2\) is less stable than GeCl\(_4\). The stability of GeCl\(_4\) is greater due to the full d-orbital participation and the more favorable bond formation compared to GeCl\(_2\), which is more prone to hydrolysis and less stable. Hence, Statement II is incorrect. 
Thus, the correct answer is (3): Statement I is correct, but statement II is not correct.