Group 15 (Nitrogen group) elements

We begin with Group 15, the nitrogen family, comprising nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth. Nitrogen behaves quite differently from its heavier congeners because of its small size, high electronegativity, absence of accessible d orbitals and its strong tendency to form p(pi)-p(pi) multiple bonds with itself and with other small, electronegative atoms -- properties phosphorus and the heavier members largely lack, since …