Phosphorus oxychloride has the chemical formula pocl3, with p as the central atom. in order to minimize formal charge, how many bonds does phosphorus make to the other atoms in the molecule? (count each single bond as one, each double bond as two, and each triple bond as three).

In POCl₃, Phosphorous will form 5 bonds. The bonds formed are as,

           *  Two Bonds (Double Bond) with Oxygen atom

           *  Three Bonds (Single Bond each) with three Chlorine atoms.

Formal charge:
                        Formal Charge is calculated using following formula,

Formal Charge = [# of Valence e⁻s] - [e⁻s in lone pairs + 1/2 e⁻s in bonding                                   e⁻s]

        Valence electrons of P  =  5

        e⁻s in lone pair  =  0

        e⁻s in Bonding  =  10
So,

Formal Charge  =  [5]-[0+10/2]

Formal Charge  =  [5]-[5]

Formal Charge  =  0