Clo- lewis structure, Characteristics:13 Facts You Should Know

Clo- Lewis Structure Steps

This article is regarding clo- lewis structure and its related properties like bond angle, lewis dot structure, acidic characters, and polarity or non-polarity.

The clo- lewis structure is commonly known as Hypochlorite ion, also known as chlorine oxoanion, is a monovalent inorganic anion with the chemical formula clo-. 

It can combine hypochlorite salts and form a variety of cations to produce hypochlorite salts. Because these salts are mostly unstable in their pure form, all these salt are present in an aqueous solution.

How to draw Clo- lewis structure?

The electron’s Lewis structure is graphically depicted by assigning valence electrons around the atoms. We will discover what type of bond formation or how many bonds are formed in the molecules by learning how to draw Lewis structure.

It is a very simple molecule because it contains only two atoms with one negative charge.

Steps in drawing the clo- lewis structure :

Step1: Calculate the total number of valence electrons in the system.

In the Clo- lewis structure chlorine consists of seven valence electrons and on the other hand, oxygen consists of six valence electrons in its outermost shell. In addition to this, a negative charge or sign on these molecules include one more valence electron pairs. Therefore, a total of 14 valence electrons are in the clo- molecules.

Step 2: Consider the central atom.

A diatomic molecules clo- molecule has no central atom. There is no need for a central atom because we cannot define which atom form bonds.

We can find the electronegativity value of chlorine and oxygen in a given molecule and predict the lewis structure. 

Thus chlorine and Oxygen have similar electronegative values so, we can not predict which one becomes the central atom so we place each atom adjacent to each other. 

Step 3: Finish the octet.

Clo- lewis structure consisting two atoms one is oxygen and one is carbon, thus it is a diatomic molecule and both of the atoms acquire eight valence electrons to complete its octet. This will show that one clo- lewis structure required 14 valence electrons for completing the octet.

Step 4: Make structure.

In clo- molecule, Chlorine(Cl) and oxygen(O) are arranged in such a manner that are adjacent to one another. Out of 14 valence electrons, 2 electrons form a single bond between Cl-O.

Step 5: Assign the valence electron to the valence atom.

Assign the valence electrons to each atom and complete its octet and make a stable lewis structure.

Clo- lewis structure resonance

When a molecule or ion has more than one valid Lewis structure then resonance occurs. The resonance hybrid is the weighted average of these resonance structures that determines the overall electronic structure of the molecule/ion.

Thus hypochlorite ion(clo-) in individual form does not show resonance.

Clo- lewis structure shape

The clo- lewis structure is formed by two atoms that are called diatomic molecules. According to this result, a diatomic molecule shows a linear shape and a simple spatial arrangement.

As a molecule is linear so both the atoms are situated in a straight line. The clo- lewis structure contains a single bond between cl-o and 3-3 lone pairs on each.

clo
Clo- lewis structure shape from Wikimedia

Thus the clo- molecule follows lone pair- lone pair = lone pair- bond pair repulsion on both sides. The shape of the clo- lewis structure is linear.

Clo- lewis structure formal charge

A formal charge is created when an electron is redistributed between two atoms and the charge is occupied by these atoms for the bonds.

The formal charge = No. of valence electrons – no of lone pair electrons –   ½ no. of bonded pair electrons.

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Clo- formal charge

The formal charge on chlorine atom =  No.of valence electron of chlorine = 7,No. of lone pair electrons on chlorine = 6,No. of bond pair electrons around chlorine = 2

F.C. on Cl = (7 – 6 – 2/2) = 0

Similarly, The Formal charge on  oxygen atom= No.of valence electron of oxygen = 6, No. of lone pair electrons on oxygen = 6, No. of bond pair electrons around oxygen = 2

F.C. on O = (6 – 6 – 2/2) = -1Thus overall formal charge on Clo- molecule =-1. This is the most stable molecule.

Clo- lewis structure angle

In the clo- molecule, molecular geometry is linear and the electron geometry is tetrahedral. So, the bond angle of the molecule is 180º with a formal charge = -1. 

Thus the clo- lewis structure is stable with sp3 hybridization and with a 180º bond angle.

Clo- lewis structure octet rule

When each atom becomes stable by gaining eight electrons in its outermost shell, then the molecules said that it follows the octet rule. So, in the case of hypochlorite(Clo-) ions, they consist of Chlorine and Oxygen atom with seven and six valence electrons. 

So chlorine is less electronegative than oxygen and exhibits a central atom and obeys the octet rule and so on oxygen. Hence we can say that the clo- molecule obeys the octet rule.

Clo- lewis structure lone pairs

The lone pair electrons are also called non-binding electrons, they are not participating in any chemical bond formation on the other hand bond pair electrons participate in the bonding of that molecules.

In the clo- lewis structure there are 12 lone pair electrons are present on the Chlorine(3 pair) and Oxygen(3 pair) atoms and a single bond between Cl-O(contain 2 electrons).

Clo- valence electrons

It is called valence electrons when the electrons are located in the outermost shell of the atom. In the molecule clo-, the chlorine atom lies in the 17th group of the periodic table and oxygen in the 16th group.

So, the valence electrons in chlorine = 7 and the valence electrons in oxygen = 6. Total valence electron in clo- molecule =7+6+1= 14.

Clo- hybridization

When two atomic orbitals of the same energy level are mixed for the generation of a new hybrid degenerate orbital the process is called Hybridization. For finding the hybridization of a molecule we should know its steric number.

Steric no. = Bonding atom + Lone pair on the central atom. In the clo- molecule any atom becomes the central atom, so, we consider chlorine as the central atom. 

∴ Steric number of Clo- = Bonded atoms attached to Chlorine + Lone pair on Chlorine.

∴ Steric number of Clo- = 1(bonded with oxygen atom) + 3(lone pair) = 4. So the hybridization of Chlorine in clo- the molecule is sp3 with linear shape and tetrahedral geometry.

Clo- solubility

The clo-(hypochlorite ion) is soluble in water.  It slowly decomposes in water, producing chlorine. Its compound is mostly found in salt form in the aqueous only and most of these hypochlorites are unstable, and many substances only exist in water.

Is Clo- ionic?

Yes, Hypochlorite(ClO-) is an ionic molecule that consists of chlorine and oxygen atom and has a chemical formula of clo-. This ionic Nature is due to the presence of -ve charge on the molecule.

Following is the equation regarding ionic character:

                                     2 ClO → 2 Cl + O2

Is Clo- acidic or basic?

The substance which accepts the protons in their aqueous solution is called the base. The clo- is basic due to the presence of lone pairs, it accepts the positive charge and is dissolved in water forming Hypochlorous acid.

The chemical reaction is:

ClO + H2O → HClO + OH

Thus, clo- is the conjugate base of HClO.

Is Clo- polar or nonpolar?

A molecule is said to be polar when there is the distribution of charge is unequal on atoms and has some net dipole moment, whereas nonpolar molecules are those which distribute the charge equally to each atom and have zero dipole moment.

The clo- lewis structure is a Polar structure because the distribution of charge is unequally on both the atoms present in it. This is due to the presence of a negative charge on one atom which makes it polar.

Thus Chlorine and oxygen atoms’ arrangement is unsymmetric which generates a net dipole moment and does not cancel out each other effect. So the net dipole moment is not zero which means the clo- the molecule is polar.

Is Clo- tetrahedral?

yes, Hypochlorite ion(clo-) is having tetrahedral geometry. On the Cl atom, the total number of lone pairs of electrons and bonding electrons in the molecule is four, and on the oxygen atom, it is also four. 

Thus lone pair is arranged in such a manner that lone-pair-lone-pair repulsion is less. This will leads to the sp3 hybridization and tetrahedral geometry.

Is Clo- linear?

Yes, clo- (hypochlorite) is a linear molecule. Because it contains only two atoms and these are arranged adjacent to each other in a straight line. 

The chlorine atom contains three lone pairs and oxygen also contains three lone pairs and a single bond exist between these two.

Conclusion

Hypochlorite is a highly unstable compound with all of the characteristics of a covalent molecule. The Lewis structure explains the presence of a dipole cloud on the molecule, which makes it more available for the cations. It has a linear structure as a result of valence electrons on both chlorine and oxygen atoms.

Also Read:

Draw CO Lewis Structure in 7 Steps, Hybridization & Resonance

CO Lewis Structure steps

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CO Lewis structure: Triple bond between C (sp hybridized) and O (sp^2 hybridized), 10 valence electrons total. C: 4e^-, O: 6e^-. Triple bond accounts for 6 shared electrons, O retains a lone pair (2e^-), fulfilling octet rule. Bond length approx. 112.8 pm, bond energy around 1072 kJ/mol.

How to draw CO Lewis structure ?

1. Basis on the periodic table, Lewis structure has 4 for carbon and 6 for oxygen. CO formed by adding carbon and oxygen. Oxygen is present in group 16. It is also called chalcogens. Carbon is present in group 14. The electronic configuration of both ,O = 1s2 2s2 2p4 (6 valence electrons) C = 1s2 2s2 2p2 (4 valence electrons).

2. Determine the Skeleton Structure

For CO, deciding the skeleton is straightforward because we only have two atoms. Typically, the less electronegative atom is in the center, but since hydrogen is the exception (and not part of CO), we don’t worry about that here. Between carbon and oxygen, carbon is less electronegative, so it will be our central atom.

CO lewis structure: Central atom is identified

3. Draw the Initial Bond

Connect the carbon and oxygen with a single line, which represents a pair of shared electrons, or a single bond. This uses up 2 of our 10 valence electrons, leaving us 8 more to distribute.

CO lewis structure: Assigning lone pair between the central and other atoms

4. Distribute Remaining Electrons to Fulfill the Octet Rule

Now, we aim to fulfill the octet rule, where each atom prefers to have 8 electrons in its valence shell. Start with the more electronegative atom, which is oxygen. After placing the single bond, oxygen needs 6 more electrons to complete its octet. These can be placed as three pairs of dots around the oxygen atom.

CO lewis structure: Octet formation

At this point, carbon is only bonded to oxygen with a single bond, giving it just 2 electrons. Carbon needs 6 more electrons to satisfy its octet.

CO lewis structure: Electrons are assigned to central atom

5. Adjust for the Octet Rule

Since a single bond leaves both carbon and oxygen short of completing their octet, we need to introduce multiple bonds between them. A triple bond solves this issue. This means we draw two more lines (for a total of three) between carbon and oxygen, indicating three pairs of shared electrons (or six electrons). This bonding scenario allows both carbon and oxygen to achieve their octet with the total of 10 valence electrons we started with.

CO lewis structure: Electrons are moved from outer atom to form octet

6. Add Lone Pairs

After forming the triple bond, place any remaining electrons as lone pairs. Oxygen will end up with one lone pair (two electrons) since it shares six electrons with carbon through the triple bond. Carbon’s octet is fulfilled entirely by its bonding with oxygen, so it doesn’t have lone pairs in this structure.

CO lewis structure

The Lewis structure for CO ends up showing carbon and oxygen connected by a triple bond, with oxygen also having a lone pair of electrons. This structure accounts for all 10 valence electrons, adheres to the octet rule for both atoms, and illustrates the strong triple bond that characterizes the carbon monoxide molecule.

CO Lewis structure shape:

Carbon monoxide lewis structure is a linear molecule. The shape is linear, having triple bond between carbon and oxygen. Carbon as well as Oxygen contained one pair of lone electrons in their structure. Carbon and oxygen combined with triple bond, means here 1 sigma and two pi bonds will present. Carbon monoxide mainly produced by the partial combustion of fossil fuels.

CO lewis structure: Shape

It can cause acute illness and worst case scenario is the death. In the periodic table carbon is less electronegative value than oxygen. Carbon having E.N value 2.5 and oxygen having E.N value 3.5. The shape will be confirmed linear because the bond angle is 180°.

CO Lewis structure formal charges:

Formal charge = valence electron – non-bonding valence electron – bonding electron / 2. Here we calculate the formal charges of CO Lewis structure. In the periodic table Carbon has four pair of electrons.So the formal charge is plus one (+1) and (-1) for other. The percentages of formation of this CO Lewis structure is 50%.

If we take another probability , Four electrons are involved in chemical bond. Here the formal charge of carbon will be zero. So we get Formal charge of oxygen in CO is 6-4-2 = 6-6= 0. So it can be the best lewis structure having formal charges zero. The percentages of abundance are 40%.

Another probability is carbon and oxygen singly boded with each other. Here carbon having 1 lone pair and oxygen having 3 lone pairs.In the periodic table, carbon has 4 valence electrons. The percentages of abundance of this lewis structure is 10%.

CO Lewis structure lone pairs:

Basis on the best lewis Structure of CO. Two lone pair of electrons is present on the carbon atom and one oxygen atom. Geometry of CO should be linear in this because there are 2 lone pairs and the bonds are straight. Here we should know that to detect the shape of the molecule the lone pair will not be counted. The molecule is considered is linear molecule by nature.

Hybridization of CO:

The hybridization of carbon and oxygen in the carbon monoxide Lewis structure is sp. Carbon and oxygen have triple bond in between it. One unshared pair of electron in carbon and oxygen present in both.

CO lewis structure: Hybridization

Carbon carries negative charge and oxygen carries positive charge here. Two sp hybridized orbitals of the carbon atom overlap with two p orbitals of oxygen to form 2 Sigma bonds. Other 2 electrons of carbon are involved in pi-pi bonding.

CO Lewis structure is consist of two atom .One is oxygen and other one is carbon. CO is carbon monoxide, bonded by triple bond. It has no odor.

CO Lewis structure resonance:

Resonance is the Latin word come from the word “Resonatia”. It is otherwise known as mesmerism. This is the way to draw different bonding to describe the structure. Certain molecules are several type of contributing structure called resonance hybrid or canonical structure. The different delocalization can be showed through it.
There are 3 type of resonating structure:
1. Resonating structure-1
2. Resonating structure-2
3. Resonating structure-3

CO lewis structure: Resonance

1. Resonating structure-1
In this case carbon is bonded with oxygen by triple bond. Carbon and oxygen both have one pair of lone pair electrons in it. Oxygen shared one lone pair of electron with carbon to complete their octet .The resonate structure is found in 50% of abundance.
2. Resonating structure-2
We can draw 2nd resonating structure by making double bond in between carbon and oxygen. Carbon has four valence electrons.The formal charge is zero here. So it is the best resonating structure we can say. This resonating structure is found in 40% of abundance.
3. Resonating structure -3
It is found where carbon and oxygen is singly bonded with each other. Carbon has 4 valence electrons, 2 dots and 1bond present in it. So formal charge of carbon is, 4-2-1= +1.
Oxygen has 6 valence electrons, 6 dots and 1bond, so the formal charge is 6-6-1= -1.The resonating structure is found only in 10% of abundance.

CO Lewis structure octet rule:

Octet rule is used to build a compound in stable form. In CO Lewis structure, the octet rule is fulfilled when carbon bonded with oxygen by triple bond. One pair of lone pair shared by oxygen to carbon to form a dative bond. By this the carbon and oxygen both obey the octet rule.

CO Lewis structure is polar in nature. It is produced by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels. CO is most toxic gas. It can cause acute illness and in worst case scenarios that is death. It is most common type of fatal poisoning in the whole world.

Conclusion:

Carbon monoxide molecules consist of carbon atom covalently boned with oxygen atom. In CO molecule C-O Length is 112.8 pm. It is toxic gas. The shape is linear. Each of the atom contain one lone pairs.

Also Read:

SO2 Lewis Structure: Drawings, Hybridization, Shape, Charges, Pair And Detailed Facts

SO2 Lewis Structure Steps

SO2 Lewis structure shows various chemical properties of the compound. There are so many facts about the internal structure obtained from drawing of lewis structure.

By using the lewis concept we can draw the best resonate structure for sulfur dioxide. We can understand the boding between atoms in a SO2 molecule. So we are going to study how the best structure we can determined by knowing shape , hybridization etc.

How to draw lewis structure for SO2 ?

Sulfur dioxide lewis structure of SO2 , first we require the total valence electrons of both sulfur and oxygen. There are 6 valence electrons of sulfur and oxygen. This bonded with single bond than sulfur didn’t obey the octet rule. This lewis structure is unstable.
If one electron pair of oxygen is bonded with sulfur than another lewis structure is found. In this way ,sulfur and oxygen both obey the octet rule .Similarly if another electron from other oxygen bonded with sulfur than double bond will created. Here sulfur didn’t obey the octet rule. Sulfur contain 10 electrons. This is best lewis structure theoretically. But practically this is not really found.

SO2 lewis structure consists of Sulphur and oxygen. The chemical formula of sulfur dioxide is SO2. This is color less gas. Smell of SO2 is very much pungent odor. The smell is very much similar to the burnt matchsticks Sulfur dioxide released while volcanic eruptions.

SO2 lewis structure shape:

The shape of the SO2 is in bent shape. We can found the molecular geometry of SO2 in 2 ways. From 1st lewis structure of SO2 , where the unbounded electrons are spread up in three dimensions. This is because electron are repel to each other.

The lewis structure doesn’t tell us directly but if we visual the atoms in unbonded electron of central atom, repelling each other. Where the oxygen is move away from each other , give the molecule in bent shape.

That is by the valence shell electron pair repulsion theory that is VSEPR theory. In the second way, the geometry of SO2 is trigonal planner. The three pairs of bonding electron is in 109° angel.

so2 lewis structure
Image credit : SO2 by istock

SO2 lewis structure formal charges:

SO2 lewis structure of total valence electrons 18.Sulfur and oxygen has six electrons. sulfur has six valence electrons, 2 non bonding and 6 bonding electrons. Six bonding electrons divided by 2 , we get 3 electrons. So the Formal charge of sulfur is 6-2-3 =+1. One of the oxygen having formal charge +1. The formal charge of another oxygen will be 6-4-2= 0.

Take 2 electrons from another oxygen to sulfur make double bond in sulfur and oxygen. Sulfur has 6 valence electrons, 2 non bonding electrons and 8 bonding electrons. This bonding electrons divided by 2 , we get 4. By putting formula ,6-2-4=0. The formal charge of sulfur is 0.

Oxygen contain 6 valence electron,2 non bonding electrons and 2 bonds So we get 6-4-2=0. The formal charge of oxygen is zero. similarly other oxygen also has 0 formal charge. This is the most reasonable structure for SO2.

SO2 lewis structure lone pairs :

In the best reasonable structure ,the lone pairs of sulfur atom is one . The lone pairs of oxygen atom in each of SO2 lewis structure is two. There are total five lone pairs on SO2 atom.

It is the measure component of green house effect. This causes global warming. Scientists also have proved , that the SO2 is found in Venus and in other bodies of solar system also. SO2 is manufactured in industrial area by burning sulfur and its components in the presence of oxygen.

SO2 hybridization:

The hybridization takes place in SO2 is sp2 type . For formation of SO2 ,we need 2 double bond outside the sulfur atom, while sulfur is in the middle or central. During formation of SO2 , the hybridization used is SP2. There are 2 sigma, 2 pi and one lone pair of electrons. The SO2 is in bent shape.

It is the measure component of green house effect. This causes global warming. Scientists also have proved , that the SO2 is found in Venus and in other bodies of solar system also. SO2 is manufactured in industrial area by burning sulfur and its components in the presence of oxygen.

SO2 Lewis structure resonance:

There are two resonating structure in laboratory side. The least electronegative atom in the middle that is Sulphur and oxygen beside it. So contribution of the electron gives the best resonate structure.

This contribution of the electron gives the best resonate structure. This contribution equally to the overall hybrid structure of molecule. While the third one is best one only in theory. It doesn’t quite match with experimental data.

SO2 Lewis structure octet rule:

The sulfur doesn’t obey the octet rule is SO2 Lewis structure. Sulfur can carry more than 8 electrons. In SO2 sulfur carry 10 electrons. While oxygen obey the octet rule, SO2 emission are a precursor to acid rain and atmospheric particulates.

Conclusion:

To wrap with the post we can say that SO2 is an compound having V-shaped or bent. The bond angle between the atoms is 109 degree. The hybridization type is sp2 with bond order 1.5. The bond dissociation enthalpy is 297kj/mole. It forming three hybrid orbitals in their structure.

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NH3 Lewis Structure: 5 Easy Steps to Draw, Hybridization !

NH3 Lewis Structure with steps

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NH3 Lewis Structure: NH3 (Ammonia) has a trigonal pyramidal structure: central N atom with 5 valence electrons forms 3 N-H single bonds, using 3H atoms (1 electron each), and 1 lone pair on N. Bond angle: 107.8°, due to lone pair repulsion. Valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory explains shape; electron geometry: tetrahedral.

How to draw NH3 Lewis Structure

To draw the NH3 Lewis structure (ammonia) involves a few straightforward steps. This will help you understand the molecule’s electronic structure and bonding. Let’s break it down:

NH3 Lewis Structure steps

Count the Valence Electrons: Nitrogen (N) is in Group 15 of the periodic table, which means it has 5 valence electrons. Hydrogen (H) is in Group 1, having 1 valence electron. Since NH3 has one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms, the total number of valence electrons is 5 + (3 * 1) = 8.

Sketch the Skeleton Structure: Place the nitrogen atom in the center because hydrogen cannot be a central atom. Draw single bonds between the nitrogen atom and each hydrogen atom. This will use up 3 pairs of electrons (6 electrons total).

NH3 Lewis Structure: Central atom is identified and 2 dots are put in between them

Complete Octets for Outer Atoms: In the case of NH3, hydrogen atoms follow the duet rule instead of the octet rule (they only need 2 electrons to be stable). The single bonds you’ve drawn already fulfill this requirement for each hydrogen atom.

Place Remaining Electrons on the Central Atom: After bonding the hydrogens, you have 2 electrons left. These are placed on the nitrogen atom as a lone pair.

NH3 Lewis Structure: Lone pair of electron is added to N

Check the Octet Rule: Nitrogen now has three single bonds (each bond consists of 2 electrons) plus one lone pair, making a total of 8 electrons around it, which satisfies the octet rule.

NH3 Lewis Structure: N complete octet and H duplet

Consider Formal Charges (Optional for NH3 but good practice): To ensure the most stable structure, calculate the formal charge for each atom, which in the case of NH3, will show that all atoms have a formal charge of zero, indicating a stable structure.

The resulting Lewis structure for NH3 shows the nitrogen atom in the center with three hydrogen atoms bonded to it in a trigonal pyramidal geometry, and one lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen. This lone pair contributes to the molecule’s shape and properties, such as its basicity and its polar nature.

NH3 Lewis Structure

NH3 Lewis structure shape

The shape of Ammonia can be determined after drawing the NH3 Lewis structure. It denotes the formation internal geometry of the compound.

NH3 molecular geometry and shape

NH3 hold Trigonal pyramidal or distorted tetrahedral molecular geometry in terms of its shape. This shape is identified from the Lewis structure as it indicates the presence of one lone pair in the Nitrogen atom, which is centre atom in the compound.

NH3 Lewis structure formal charges

A fundamental formula helps to identify the formal charges held by the atoms in any compound. This is a significant characteristic, which is highly considerable in the case of drawing Lewis structure of the any compound.

The formula of finding formal charges is (valance electrons – nonbonding electrons – ½ bonding electrons).

Therefore, formal charge of Nitrogen atom is (5-2 + (1/2)6) = 0

Formal charge of each of the Hydrogen atoms (1-0+ (1/2)2) = 0

Summing up the individual formal charges of the atoms present in Ammonia the entire charge of the compound is estimated as zero.

NH3 Lewis structure lone pairs

The presence of lone pair is also denoted by Lewis structures of the compounds. As the lone pairs affect the shape of the compounds, it is important to identify the number of lone pairs in those compounds.

Ammonia has two lone pairs held by Nitrogen atom as the hydrogen atoms holds only two electrons, which participate in making bond pairs. Besides, this lone pairs effect on the polarity of the overall compound.

NH3 hybridization

Hybridization of the compounds are also encountered by the Lewis structure, which indicates the internal structure of the compounds, it also influences the shape of the compounds.

NH3 Hybridization

NH3 has sp3 hybridisation in the pyramidal or distorted tetrahedral shape.  The hybridisation of Nitrogen atom denotes the overall hybridisation of Ammonia. The combination of 2s and 2p orbitals are found in the compound.

NH3 Lewis structure resonance

In the case of posing resonance, the compounds must hold one or more than one π bonds. Only sigma bonds cannot show resonating features in the compounds.

NH3 does not possess any π bonds in the molecular structure, which is lacking resonating characteristics in the Ammonia. Without presence of double bonds there is no chance of transitioning the bonds and structure by keeping the formula same.

NH3 Lewis structure octet rule

Octet rule says that the last energy level of the compounds gives extreme stability to the atoms by driving the atoms to precede electron-sharing process. The elements are likely to adopt the similar electronic configuration like the nearest noble gases by fulfilling their last electron shell of octet state.

In order to maintain this octet rule N and H both the atoms undergoes election-sharing method by sharing their valance electrons with each other. Hydrogen needs one electron for filling octet and Nitrogen needs three electrons for the same.

Each Hydrogen atoms partially adopts one electron from the last electronic shell of Nitrogen. Nitrogen shares its electrons with three hydrogen atoms for adopting three electrons from those hydrogen atoms partially as well.

NH3 polar or nonpolar

The difference between electronegativity of the atoms participate in the formation of any compounds is one of the important factor for finding polarity or amount of dipole moment in the compounds.

NH3 dipole moment

NH3 is a polar compound, which is imposed by the existence of dipole moment in the compound. Huge difference in electronegativity of Nitrogen and Hydrogen gives rise to this polar nature. Non-symmetrical pyramidal shape with the lone pairs in the compound is responsible for giving high polarity to the Ammonia.

NH3 Lewis structure bond angle

Bond angle can also be found from the Lewis structure. The bond angle of the compounds is quite dependent on the shape of the compounds and the place of the lone pairs.

NH3 molecular geometry and bond angle

The bond angle of NH3 is 107o, which is just a little bit lower than the standard bond angles of the compounds. This bond angle is the result of lone pair-bond pair and lone pair-lone pair repulsion, expressed by the molecular geometry.

NH3 Lewis structure electron geometry

Electron geometry refers to the molecular geometry of the compounds, which is fundamentally obtained from the Lewis structure of the compounds.

The molecular geometry of Ammonia denotes its distorted tetrahedral shape or pyramidal shape with slightly lower bond angle than the standard one. This happens due tie presence of lone pairs. The lone-pair-lone pair repulsion gives slightly bent structure to the electron geometry of Ammonia.

NH3 valence electrons

Valance electrons refer to those electrons, which are present in the last electronic shell of the elements. The number of valance electrum defines the capacity of adopting the dividing electrons of the periodic elements to satisfy octet.

In NH3, the number of valance electrons on Nitrogen is five and each of the three Hydrogen atoms holds one valance electron.

NH3 uses

Ammonia is used in several industrial productions. It has high demand in Agriculture as powerful fertiliser for cultivating crops.

The uses are:

Question 1: What is the difference between NH4+ and Ammonia?

Answer: NH3 possess zero charges in it. It is completely a neutral compound where NH4+ represent Ammonium ion which has one extra Hydrogen atom beyond its capacity.

Question 2:  What is Aqueous Ammonia?

Answer: The dissolved state of Ammonia gas in water is called Aqueous Ammonia or Liquid Ammonia.  

Question 3: Is ammonia Acidic or basic?

Answer: Ammonia is a basic compound with the pH between 11 and 12.

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SF2 Lewis Structure: Drawings, Hybridization, Shape, Charges, Pair and Detailed Facts

SF2 Lewis Structure steps

Discover the essentials of the SF2 molecule in our detailed blog post. Learn about the SF2 Lewis Structure, get insights into its molecular geometry, and explore the hybridization process. This guide is ideal for students and chemistry fans looking to expand their knowledge in molecular science, presented in a clear and easy-to-understand format

How to Draw Lewis Structure of SF2

Lewis structures are a useful tool in chemistry for visualizing the arrangement of atoms and electrons in a molecule. In this guide, we will learn how to draw the Lewis structure of SF2 (sulfur difluoride) step by step.

SF2 Lewis Structure steps

Step 1: Find the total valence electrons in SF2

To determine the total number of valence electrons in SF2, we need to look at the periodic table. Sulfur is in group 16, so it has 6 valence electrons. Fluorine is in group 17, so each fluorine atom has 7 valence electrons.

Total valence electrons in SF2 = 6 (sulfur) + 2(7) (fluorine) = 20

Step 2: Select the central atom

In SF2, the sulfur atom (S) is less electronegative than fluorine (F), so it will be the central atom.

SF2 Lewis Structure: Select Central Atom

Step 3: Connect each atom by putting an electron pair between them

Connect the sulfur atom (S) to each fluorine atom (F) with a single bond, using two valence electrons for each bond.

SF2 Lewis Structure: Connect the atom

Step 4: Make the outer atoms stable. Place the remaining valence electron pairs on the central atom

In SF2, each fluorine atom already has an octet (8 valence electrons). We have used 4 electrons so far in the single bonds, which leaves us with 20 – 4 = 16 electrons.

SF2 Lewis Structure: Add lone pair in outer atom

Place the remaining 16 electrons as lone pairs on the sulfur atom.

Step 5: Check the octet on the central atom. If it does not have an octet, then shift a lone pair to form a double bond or triple bond

In SF2, the sulfur atom already has an octet with 8 electrons. No further adjustments are needed.

SF2 Lewis Structure: Octet rule

Step 6: Check the stability of the Lewis structure

To check the stability of the Lewis structure, we can calculate the formal charge on each atom. The formal charge is given by the formula:

Formal charge = Valence electrons – (Bonding electrons)/2 – Nonbonding electrons

For sulfur (S) in SF2:
Valence electrons = 6
Bonding electrons = 4 (2 single bonds)
Nonbonding electrons = 8 (lone pairs)

Formal charge = 6 – 4/2 – 8 = 0

For each fluorine (F) atom in SF2:
Valence electrons = 7
Bonding electrons = 2 (single bond)
Nonbonding electrons = 6 (lone pairs)

Formal charge = 7 – 2/2 – 6 = 0

In the Lewis structure of SF2, there are no formal charges on any atom, indicating that it is a stable structure.

The final Lewis structure of SF2 can be represented as:

Molecular Geometry and Bond Angles of SF2

Geometry

The Lewis structure of SF2 shows that the sulfur (S) atom is the central atom bonded to two fluorine (F) atoms.

Molecular Geometry and Bond Angles of SF2

The molecular geometry of SF2 is bent or V-shaped due to the presence of two electron pairs around the central sulfur atom. The two bonding pairs of electrons and the two non-bonding pairs (lone pairs) of electrons push each other away, creating a bent shape.

Bond Angles

The bond angles in SF2 are approximately 98°. This angle is less than the ideal angle of 120° expected for a trigonal planar arrangement due to the repulsion between the bonding and non-bonding electron pairs.

Contribution of Bond Type and Lone Pairs

The type and number of bonds, as well as the presence or absence of lone pairs on the central atom, contribute to the overall shape of the SF2 molecule. In this case:

  • The sulfur atom forms two single covalent bonds with the fluorine atoms, resulting in a bent shape due to the repulsion between the electron pairs.
  • The presence of two lone pairs on the sulfur atom also contributes to the bent shape by further repelling the bonding electron pairs and distorting the molecular geometry.

Overall, the combination of the bond types (single bonds) and the presence of lone pairs on the central atom leads to the bent molecular geometry in SF2.

SF2 Hybridization

The hybridization of the atoms in SF2 involves the combination of atomic orbitals to form hybrid orbitals. In SF2, the sulfur atom is bonded to two fluorine atoms.

To determine the hybridization of the sulfur atom in SF2, we need to first look at the electron arrangement and molecular geometry of the molecule. SF2 has a bent or V-shaped molecular geometry due to the presence of two bonding pairs and one lone pair of electrons on the sulfur atom.

The electron arrangement around sulfur is trigonal bipyramidal, with three electron domains (two bonding pairs and one lone pair). The hybridization is determined by the number of electron domains around the central atom.

In the case of SF2, the sulfur atom undergoes sp3 hybridization. This means that the sulfur atom hybridizes one of its 3p orbitals with three of its 3s orbitals to form four sp3 hybrid orbitals. These sp3 hybrid orbitals are then used for bonding, with two of them forming sigma bonds with the fluorine atoms and the other two containing lone pairs.

SF2 Hybridization

The hybridization and geometry of SF2 can be summarized in the following table:

Atom Hybridization Number of Sigma Bonds Number of Lone Pairs Molecular Geometry
Sulfur sp3 2 2 Bent
Fluorine s 1 0 Linear

The sp3 hybridization of the sulfur atom allows for the formation of sigma bonds with the fluorine atoms, resulting in a stable SF2 molecule. The presence of the lone pairs on the sulfur atom contributes to the bent shape of the molecule.

Polarity and Dipole Moment of SF2

Factors Contribution to Polarity Contribution to Dipole Moment
Electronegativity Fluorine (F) is more electronegative than sulfur (S), resulting in a polar bond Difference in electronegativity creates a partial positive charge on sulfur (δ+) and a partial negative charge on fluorine (δ-)
Molecular Geometry SF2 has a bent or V-shaped molecular geometry Asymmetric distribution of electron pairs creates an uneven charge distribution
Electron Distribution Fluorine atoms have three lone pairs of electrons, while sulfur has one lone pair and two bonding pairs Lone pairs create regions of high electron density, contributing to polarity
Overall Dipole Moment The dipole moments of the polar bonds in SF2 do not cancel out due to the bent molecular geometry The overall dipole moment points towards the more electronegative fluorine atom
Polarity and Dipole Moment of SF2

The molecule SF2 exhibits polarity due to the difference in electronegativity between the sulfur and fluorine atoms. Fluorine is more electronegative than sulfur, causing the bond between them to be polar. This results in a partial positive charge on the sulfur atom (δ+) and a partial negative charge on the fluorine atoms (δ-).

The molecular geometry of SF2 is bent or V-shaped, with a bond angle of approximately 98 degrees. This bent shape creates an asymmetric distribution of electron pairs, leading to an uneven charge distribution. The presence of lone pairs of electrons on the fluorine and sulfur atoms contributes to the polarity of the molecule.

In terms of dipole moment, the polar bonds in SF2 do not cancel out due to the bent molecular geometry. This means that the individual bond dipole moments do not completely balance each other, resulting in an overall dipole moment for the molecule. The magnitude of the dipole moment depends on the difference in electronegativity between the atoms and the bond length.

The overall dipole moment of SF2 points towards the more electronegative fluorine atom, indicating that the molecule is polar. The magnitude of the dipole moment can be determined experimentally and depends on the strength of the polar bonds and the geometry of the molecule.

Also Read:

N2 lewis structure: Drawings, Hybridization, Shape, Charges, Pairs

N2 Lewis Structure Steps

In this article, we will address the n2 lewis structure and discuss other structural aspects of the intended molecule, such as hybridization, formal charges, shape, and uses.

Nitrogen is a diatomic colorless gas that occupies 78% volume of the earth’s atmosphere having a molecular weight of 28 g/mol. Nitrogen exists as N2 ( Dinitrogen), having three bonds between two nitrogen atoms and ranked as the third most electronegative non-metal after fluorine and oxygen.

How to draw n2 lewis structure?

Before writing lewis structure of any molecule, we need to keep above mention rules in mind.

  1. Number of valence electrons 
  2. Based on electronegativity, decide which atom will occupy the central position.
  3. It is an unsaid rule in the chemical world that every atom is a sigma donor first; only then can it contribute further. Hence always establish a single bond between the given atom and then go for a double or triple bond.
  4. After arranging the shared electrons between the atoms, always check whether the goal of stable configuration is attained or not. Generally, in the resultant molecule, every atom has 8 electrons in its outer shell after sharing the electrons, indicating stability.

By keeping all the rules mentioned above, let’s draw the N2 lewis structure step by step;

  • Nitrogen belongs to the 2nd period and 15th family in the periodic table and has an electronic configuration of [He] 2s22p3. It contains five valence electrons.

            No valence electrons in case of N ( Z=7) = 5

  • since there is the involvement of the same atoms and hence no need to consider electronegativity parameters.
  • The last step involve the arrangement of sharing electrons such that after both the atoms must have stable configuration after sharing. Now, lets draw the N2 lewis structure:
n2 lewis structure
                                                         
N2  lewis structure

N2 lewis structure lone pairs

Lone pairs are those electrons that do not participate in bonding during bond formation or also known as non-bonding electrons. With the help of the lewis structure, one can easily predict how many lone pairs a particular atom can have after bonding. Likewise, the N2 lewis structure indicated the presence of two lone pairs ( one for each nitrogen atom).

N2 lewis structure octet rule

N2 is the first member of the 15th group ie.  2nd group element, having a total of 5 electrons in the outermost orbitals. After the triple bond formations as per the N2 lewis structure, each nitrogen atom has 8 electrons in its orbitals, indicating a stable electronic configuration. According to the octet rule, the main purpose of bonding is to become more stable.

Hence, after overlapping the atoms, they must have 8 electrons in their shells to attain a stable configuration. Since, in the N2 lewis structure, each atom has fulfilled the condition of 8 electrons. Therefore, it obeys the octet rule.

The another aspect of lewis structure is that , one can easily predict by looking at N2 lewis structure that how many electrons were contributed by the each nitrogen.  Each atom has 5 electrons individually and each of them contributing 3 electrons  to form a stable configuration.

N2 valence electrons

Another aspect of the lewis structure is that one can easily predict by looking at the N2 lewis structure how many electrons were contributed by each nitrogen. Each atom has 5 electrons individually, and each of them contributes 3 electrons to form a stable configuration.

N2 lewis structure formal charge

 The formal charge indicates the total charge carried by the molecule and can be calculated  for any     molecule by using the above formula:

Formal charges =  [valence electrons – unbonded electrons – ½ bonded electrons]

N (Z= 7) = [He] 2s22p3  ie each no of valence electrons = 5

Unbonded electron count = 2

Bonded electrons = 6

F.C =  5 – 2 –  6/2 =  0

Hence formal charge on the dinitrogen is zero

N2 hybridization

Lets see how N2 is formed ?

The above diagram describing all the steps for the formation of N2

steps
Steps involving hybridization of N2

As shown in the last step, only one S and One p orbitals are involved in overlapping and Hence N2  has sp hybridization while other unhybridized p orbital can overlap with each other to form pi bonds as we know, there are  three bonds are present in  the N2 structure.

N2 lewis structure angle

As discussed in the hybridization section of N2, it involves SP type hybridization. Therefore, according to VSPER theory it has linear structure with the angle around 180o. The above given diagram illustrates the shape of sp hybridised structure .

Screenshot 273
General structure for sp hybridised orbitals with 180O angle (wikipedia)

N2 uses

Frequently asked questions

What is a nitrogen cycle ?

Due to the abundance of nitrogen in the outer atmosphere, there is a continuous exchange of nitrogen elements between the atmosphere and the biosphere which is known as the Nitrogen cycle.

What is the laboratory preparation of nitrogen?

Generally two ammonium salts such as NH4Cl  is  treated with aqueous solution to form dinitrogen.

raection lab

How is N2 isolated from the air ?

Fractional distillation has been used to separate nitrogen from the air as both nitrogen and oxygen are major air components and have different boiling points. Nitrogen has a boiling point of around 77.2 K. In contrast; oxygen has around 90 K . When atmospheric air is heated, nitrogen, due to its comparatively lower boiling point, is distilled out firstly than oxygen. However, dinitrogen always contains some traces of gas impurities.

Give the name of isotopes of N2

The N2 has two stable isotopes,  14N and 15N.

What are the different names of oxides of nitrogen ?

Nitrogen reacts with oxygen in different conditions to give number of  binary oxides. Some of them are nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), dinitrogen trioxide (N2O3) and dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5).

 What do you mean by catenation?

Catenation refers to the property of an element that can be capable of forming a bond itself. For instance, nitrogen forms a bond with nitrogen in N2. This property is called catenation.

What are the common oxidation states exhibited by nitrogen?

Nitrogen can exhibit both negative as well as positive oxidation states as in nitrides likeMgN3 N2 showed a -3 oxidation state and +3 oxidation state in NCl3. The highest oxidation state shown by nitrogen is +5.

 How to obtain pure nitrogen gas?

Generally, nitrogen gas obtained by fractional distillation is impure and also contains traces of oxygen also. In order to obtain pure nitrogen gas, sodium azide (NaN3) is subjected to thermal decomposition at high temperatures.

Why is N2  unreactive at room temperature?

This is because of the presence of a triple bond which makes nitrogen an inert gas as it has a high bond dissociation energy of around 941.4 KJ/mol. 

Why nitrogen do not participate in respiration and other biological processes like O2 does?

Nitrogen is inert and does not react. Therefore, it does not participate. Moreover, because of its unreactive nature, it does not support processes like combustion.

How does nitrogen react with litmus paper?

 Nitrogen is neutral in nature and hence does not react with litmus paper.

What is nitrogen fixation?

Atmospheric nitrogen can not directly used by plants, it needs to break into more useful forms like ammonia and the process by which it convert into more useful compounds is called nitrogen fixation.

What do you understand by artificial nitrogen fixation?

When the process of nitrogen fixation is carried out under an artificial environment by setting up suitable chemical conditions, this phenomenon is called artificial nitrogen fixation. The best example of this method is Haber’s process.

Why can nitrogen not form pentahalides?

 Nitrogen can show an oxidation state of +5, but still, it cannot form pentahalides because of the absence of d orbitals in its outmost shell.

How does nitrogen react with metals?

Nitrogen combines with the metal to form nitrides, as shown below:

azide

 

What is the special property exhibited by the nitrogen oxides?

In the 15thfamily, only nitrogen is the only one that can form pπ-pπ multiple bonds, while other members of the family can not establish such bondings in their oxide structures.

What happens when N2 reacts with molecular oxygen?

 When nitrogen reacts with O2 it leads to the formation of nitric oxide (NO) in the presence of a high temperature of around 2000K.

oxygen raection

Also Read:

NF3 lewis structure: Drawings, Hybridization, Shape, Charges, Pairs

NF3 Lewis Structure steps

We’ll talk about  NF3 lewis structure, formal charges, geometry, hybridization and uses of NF3 in this article.

Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) is an inorganic, colourless, non-flammable, toxic gas with a slightly musty odour. In the NF3 molecule, nitrogen is attached to three fluorine atoms via a single bond and has a molecular weight of 71.00 g/mol.

How to draw the NF3 lewis structure?

Let’s draw the NF3 lewis structure step by step;

First count the number of valence electrons in the molecule NF3

N ( Z= 7) = [He] 2s22p3  ie 5 valence electrons are present

Since in the outermost shell of the nitrogen 5 electrons are present

F  (Z = 9) = [He] 2s22p5  ie only 7 electrons are avaible for bonding

Total valence count =  5 + 7*3 = 26 valence electrons.

Before arranging the atoms, one should know which atom will occupy the central position. As per the electronegativity rule, the atom with a less electronegative nature will take that position. Hence, Nitrogen will place at the center, and the rest of the atoms will take peripheral positions.

2 9
Positions of atoms
  1. As per the sigma bonding rule, we will first make a single bond between the atoms and then proceed with the further arrangement. 
FIG 2 NF
Arrangement of atoms
  • After making the single bond, it’s time for arranging the rest of the electron pairs as one bond = 2 electrons ie 6 electrons out of 26 electrons are already arranged. Hence, we left with 20 electrons. Let’s assign further electrons to get a clear picture of the NF3 lewis structure.
nf3 lewis structure

                                                         NF3 lewis structure.

NF3 valence electrons

As explained in the first step of lewis’s structure, the valence electrons are those which are available for bonding. Also, the valency of an atom is decided by its number of electrons in the outermost shell.

Why only outermost electrons only considered valence electrons?

 Let’s understand this by taking the example of a nitrogen atom. As nitrogen belongs to group 15 and has an atomic number of seven . The electronic configuration of the nitrogen:

N ( Z=7) =  1s2 2s2 2p3

 As it can be seen, the electrons in 1s2 orbitals are the closest to the nucleus and therefore, there is a requirement for more energy to remove them; in other words, they are stable and hence cannot be removed.

However, only the outermost electrons can remove easily and participate in bonding. Likewise, in the case of fluorine (F (Z= 9) = 1s2 2s2 2p5), inner-most orbitals do not participate in bonding and only 7 electrons in the outermost are left for bonding. Now, as discussed above there are 26 valence electrons are available in the NF3 molecule.

NF3 lewis structure octet rule

Every atom wants to achieve stability; in terms of chemistry, stability refers to the stable electronic configuration. Hence, every individual atom intends to attain the noble gas electronic configuration because noble gases have fulfilled outermost electronic shells which are accountable for their stability. This is known as the octet rule.

Let’s examine whether the NF3 lewis structure obeys the octet rule or not?

As referred to in figure number 2, nitrogen has 8 electrons after bonding. Similarly, each F atom also has 8 electrons count in their outer shells. It indicates the fulfilment of the octet rule.

NF3 lewis structure lone pairs

 Lone pairs belong to that category of electrons that are available for bonding but do not participate during bond formation.  Again referring to the pictorial representation of the NF3 lewis structure (figure 2), there is only one lone pair present on the nitrogen atom whereas the fluorine atom has 6 unbonded electrons.

NF3 lewis structure formal charge

The formal charge can be calculated by the formula given below:

FORMAL 1

Calculation of formal charge for Nitrogen atom

Valence electrons = 5 ( as belong to second group)

Unbonded electron count = 2

Bonded electrons = 6

F.C =  5 – 2 –  6/2 =  0

Calculation of formal charge for fluorine  atom

Total valence count = 7

Unbonded electron count = 6

Bonded electrons = 2

F.C = 7 -6 – 2/2 =  0

Hence total formal charge = 0

NF3 lewis structure resonance

Can NF3 show resonance?

Generally, resonance just refers to the movement of electrons from one palace to another place. However, in the NF3 lewis structure, resonance is not possible because there are no empty orbitals left in Fluorine orbitals so that lone pair of nitrogen can participate

NF3 hybridization

The process of hybridization solves the mystery behind the formation of molecules.  Let’s understand the intermixing of nitrogen and fluorine atoms of NF3 step by step

  1. The electronic arrangement of electrons of both participation electrons in their  ground  state is given below :
hybridizda nf1
Ground state arrangement
  • 2. The electronic arrangement of electrons of both participation electrons in their  excited state is given below
hybri nf2
Excited state arrangement
  • 3. Formation of NF3
3 nf3 hyv
      Formation of NF3

NF3 lewis structure shape

The shape of NF3 is an important aspect here. As we already know, the hybridization of NF3 is SP3. Therefore it is expected that the shape of the NF3 is tetrahedral. However, this is not the scenario here. The shape of NF3 is trigonal pyramidal in nature. This is due to the presence of lone pair on the nitrogen atom, as we saw in the NF3 lewis structure.

image 103
The trigonal pyramidal shape of NF3  ( Wikipedia)

NF3 lewis structure angle

 As shown in the above figure, the bond angle is about 102.5o in NF3 as the molecular geometry is trigonal pyramidal and has a lone pair due to which the standard tetrahedral angle of 109o has deviated and decreased to 102.5o.

NF3 uses

Nitrogen trifluoride is primarily used for manufacturing microelectronics such as LCDs and thin-film solar cells, as semiconductors used in these devices are made up of nitrogen trifluoride.

NF3 is used in chemical lasers such as hydrogen fluoride and deuterium fluoride lasers.

The major application of NF3 is in the silicon removing process. It has the advantage of less residual contamination and dissociates easily compared to perfluorinated compounds  and  sulfur hexafluoride at low pressures. Apart from it, NF3 is also considered an eco-friendly substitute for SF.

NF3 is used in the fabrication process and also for cleaning PECVD chambers.

NF3 is used as a stable fluorinating agent

Frequently asked questions

 IS  NF3 a greenhouse gas?

NF3 is considered a greenhouse gas because it absorbs infrared radiation very rapidly emitted by the earth which leads to it being a potent greenhouse gas.

Is NF3 polar or non polar?

NF3  is polar as it is unsymmetrical and hence the bonds do not cancel out each other. Therefore NF3 is polar in nature.

Is NF3 toxic in nature?

It comes under the non-toxic category. However, sometimes when it gets into contact with the eyes it irritates and also disturbs mucous membranes but NF3 is less toxic than the oxides of nitrogen.

Give physical properties of NF3

  • It  is colourless
  • Non-toxic
  • Exist as gas in nature with a mustardy odour

IS NF3 covalent in nature?

Yes, it is covalent in nature as both the atoms Nitrogen and fluorine are non-metals. Therefore, the bonding which can establish between them is covalent only.

Give a reaction where NF3 act as an oxidizing agent

    It oxidizes hydrogen chloride to chlorine:

   2 NF3 + 6 HCl → 6 HF + N2 + 3 Cl2

How does NF3 react with steel?

NF3 is compatible with steel and with plastics also. It converts itself into tetrafluorohydrazine when it comes in contact with any metal. For example:

    2 NF3 + Cu → N2F4 + CuF2

Give an equation where NF3 convert into tetra ammonium salts

Nitrogen fluoride reacts to give ammonium salts with SbF5 as shown above:

NF3 + F2 + SbF5 → NF+4SbF6

Also Read:

XeF4 Lewis Structure: Drawing easy steps,Hybridization,shape

XeF4 lewis structure

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In the XeF4 lewis structure, xenon is a noble gas that has 8 valence electrons. Similarly, fluorine belongs to group 17 of the periodic table and has 7 valence electrons. To achieve octet stability 4 fluorine atoms will share their 1 electron each with a Xenon atom thereby providing the desired XeF4 lewis structure.

XeF4 lewis structure formation is the electron symbolism of the compound and confirms its stability and reliability. Certain steps can be used to draw a perfect XeF4 Lewis structure.

XeF4 lewis structure steps

How to draw the XeF4 lewis structure?

XeF4 lewis structure involves one atom of xenon and four fluorine atoms. Xenon (Atomic number = 54 and electronic configuration = 2,8,18,18,8) belongs to group 18 of the periodic table and has 8 valence electrons. Similarly, fluorine (atomic number = 9 and electronic configuration = 2,7) belongs to group 7 of the periodic table and has 7 valence electrons. So the total number of valence electrons are 8 + 7×4 = 36.

After finding the number of valence electrons participating in the XeF4 lewis structure, it is important to look out for the central atom. Between Xenon and fluorine, xenon is the least electronegative element and fluorine is the one with the highest electronegativity. So xenon will be the central atom surrounded by 4 fluorine atoms. This will make sure that the electron cloud is bent towards fluorine atoms thereby making sharing of electrons easier.

As both xenon and fluorine in the XeF4 lewis structure are non-metals so there will be sharing of electrons. To complete its octet stability criteria each fluorine atom will share its 1 electron with the central xenon atom. Xenon being a hypervalent species on the other hand can accommodate more than 8 electrons in its valence shell in its excited state and can form an expanded octet.

XeF4 Lewis Structure: octet rule

To confirm the structural composition and reliability of the XeF4 lewis structure formal charge of both xenon and each fluorine atom is calculated individually which comes out to be 0. So this confirms the uniform electric charge distribution and the existence of the XeF4 lewis structure.

There are many properties and characteristics associated with a XeF4 lewis structure that cannot be ignored and sidelined. Some of the important properties are discussed below in detail. 

XeF4 lewis structure lone pairs

A lone pair of nonbonding electrons or unshared pair of electrons are those which do not participate in chemical bond formation. They are shown as pointed electron dots around the atom. But lone pairs of electrons are significant in deciding many other properties like the shape of the molecule. The presence of lone pair especially on the central atom is the reason for repulsion which in turn can modify the shape of the molecule.

In the context of the XeF4 lewis structure, the central atom xenon has 4 electrons left after sharing one electron with 4 fluorine atoms. This means that there are 2 lone pairs of electrons on the xenon atom.

xef4 lone pair

XeF4 Lewis structure octet rule

The octet rule is a very important rule in chemistry which says that all main-group elements of a periodic table should bond in such a way that there are 8 electrons in its valence shell. It is one of the most important stability criteria required for chemical bond formation.

In the XeF4 lewis structure, there is the presence of fluorine atoms which belong to the halogen family and have 7 valence electrons. They can easily complete their octet by sharing their one electron with the central xenon atom.

Xenon on the other hand belongs to the noble gas family and already has 8 valence electrons. According to the rule, it should be inert but it reacts under certain conditions and is an anomaly to the octet rule. It is a hypervalent species and can form an expanded octet. In the XeF4 lewis structure, there are more than 8 valence electrons which include 2 lone pairs and the bonding electrons. 

XeF4 Lewis structure formal charges

The formal charge is an important indicator that confirms the existence and identifies the credibility of lewis structure.  It can be defined as the charge which resides on the atoms in the molecule if the bonding is done equally. In simple and mathematical words if the formal charge of each atom in the molecule is 0 then the molecule is identified according to the criteria of the lewis structure. Its formula is 

FC = V – N – B/2

Where V = no. of valence electrons

               N = no. of non – bonding electrons

               B = no. of bonding electrons 

The formal charge of the XeF4 lewis structure

FC of Xe in XeF4 lewis structure = 8 – 4 -8/2 = 0

FC of F in XeF4 lewis structure = 7 – 6 – 2/2 = 0

XeF4 lewis structure hybridization

Hybridization is a process where orbitals of the atoms involved in molecule formation intermix and form new hybrid orbitals with distinguished properties. Quantum mechanics prove that the hybridized orbitals are the deciding factor in the geometry of the molecule.

In the XeF4 lewis structure, two orbitals namely fluorine and xenon are involved.  According to the electronic configuration of xenon, there are 6 electrons present in the 5p subshell and the d and f orbitals are empty. So during the XeF4 lewis structure formation when the central xenon is excited the 2 electrons jump from 5p to vacant 5d orbitals. So now in the XeF4 lewis structure, there are 2 unpaired electrons in 5p and 5d orbitals. 

Hence XeF4 lewis structure has sp3d2 hybridization. Also, there is the presence of a single covalent bond between Xe and F which is also called the sigma bond.

xef4 hybr

XeF4 lewis structure shape

XeF4 lewis structure shape is a 3-D representation of how the atoms are arranged and what kind of geometry is suitable for them to maintain stability. The molecular geometry and shape are very important in analyzing reactivity, polarity, color, and the other associated properties.

Coming back to the XeF4 lewis structure then there are 4 lone pairs or nonbonding electrons present on the central xenon atom. The lone pair of electrons generates electronic repulsion which needs to be minimized for stability according to the VSEPR theory. The stable XeF4 lewis structure can only be obtained if the lone pair on xenon are in perpendicular alignment in an octahedral geometry. This will lead to opposite faces with 180 degrees of bond angle. Hence XeF4 lewis structure exhibits a square planar shape and octahedral geometry.

XeF4 lewis structure resonance

Resonance is a phenomenon where a single structure is not able to explain all the properties of a compound. There are various canonical or resonance structures. The resonance structures are formed by the delocalization of electrons and the movements of bonds.

Talking about the XeF4 lewis structure then it does not show the resonance phenomenon because it is an asymmetrical structure and does not have double bonds for the movement. So XeF4 all properties are explained by a single structure that has a square planar shape.

Some Interesting Facts About XeF4 Lewis Structure

Elaborating on XeF4 lewis structure then it is one of those handful compounds where noble gases participate in chemical bond formation. Usually. History and many academic research papers confirm that the first compound of xenon was not XeF4 lewis structure but Xe+ PtF6- as reported by scientist Bartlett. But now it has been confirmed that xenon and fluorine both can form stable XeF4 lewis structure under room temperature conditions.

Elaborating on XeF4 lewis structure properties and characteristics then it is a colorless solid. At -78 degrees celsius XeF4, lewis structure vapor pressure is negligible and at room temperature, it is approximately 3 mm. XeF4 lewis structure exhibits the property of sublimation at room temperature. Due to this easy sublimation character XeF4, the lewis structure is sealed under vacuum in glass tubes.

As such XeF4 lewis structure does not have major applications. XeF4 lewis structure are used as ligands and coordinate with metal ions forming various fluorescent complexes. Another useful property of the XeF4 lewis structure is in space exploration where xenon is the main propellant. Another common use is in the xenon discharge tubes and flashbulbs used in cameras

Frequently Asked Questions

Is XeF4 lewis structure polar or nonpolar?

If we look according to the Pauli scale of electronegativity then the Xe-F bond is polar due to the huge electronegativity difference. The electronegativity difference is 1.4. But the XeF4 lewis structure is square planar which is symmetrical. Hence there is no net dipole moment making the XeF4 lewis structure a nonpolar compound.

 Why xenon can form compounds like XeF4 lewis structure despite being a noble gas?

Xenon can form compounds like the XeF4 lewis structure because its inner electrons screen the outer electrons from the nucleus. So they become an easy target for the electronegative elements.

Also Read:

SCL2 Lewis Structure, Hybridization: 3 Easy Steps to Follow!

scl2 lewis structure

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SCl2 known as sulfur dichloride is a cherry-red liquid with S-Cl bond length 201 pm and bond angle 1030. In SCl2 sulfur is attached with two chlorine atoms by two sigma bonds. It is sp3 hybridized with a bent structure. It is highly corrosive and toxic element with a molar mass 102.97 g/mol and density 1.621 g/cm3.

scl2 lewis structure
scl2 lewis structure

Let’s focus on the structure, hybridization along with some relevant topics on SCl2.

How to draw Lewis structure for SCL2?

Alright, let’s tackle drawing the Lewis structure for Sulfur Dichloride (SCl2) in a way that’s easy to follow and hopefully, a bit fun. Grab your pencil, paper, and let’s get into the chemistry behind this!

Count Your Electrons: First off, we need to know how many valence electrons we’re playing with. Valence electrons are like the currency for bonding; they’re what atoms use to form bonds. Sulfur is in group 16 of the periodic table, so it brings 6 valence electrons to the table. Chlorine is in group 17, so each chlorine atom brings 7. But since we have two chlorine atoms, we need to multiply that by 2. Add them all up, and we have a total of 20 valence electrons to work with.

Find Your Center: In SCl2, sulfur is going to be our central atom. Why? Because it’s less electronegative than chlorine, and it’s kind of a tradition that the less electronegative atom takes the central spot (hydrogen and helium aside, since they play by their own rules). So, put sulfur in the middle and draw two chlorine atoms on either side.

Connect the Dots: Draw a single bond (which accounts for two electrons) from sulfur to each chlorine atom. These single bonds are like the initial handshakes—formal agreements to start sharing electrons. After drawing these bonds, we’ve used up 4 of our 20 valence electrons.

SCl2 Lewis Structure : Central atom

Octet Rule Time: Now, we need to make sure each atom gets its full share of electrons, following the octet rule. This rule is like the golden rule of chemistry: atoms are happiest when they have 8 electrons in their valence shell. The chlorine atoms are already halfway there, having 2 electrons from the bond. Surround each chlorine with 6 more electrons (3 pairs) to fill their octets. This step uses 12 of our electrons (6 for each chlorine), leaving us with 4 more.

SCl2 Lewis Structure : Outer atom

Back to Sulfur: With the chlorines happy, we turn back to our sulfur atom. Sulfur already has 4 electrons from the bonds. Let’s place the remaining 4 electrons (2 pairs) around sulfur as lone pairs. Now, sulfur has a full octet too, and we’ve used all 20 electrons.

SCl2 Lewis Structure : Octet Rule

Final Check: Our structure should now show sulfur with two single bonds to chlorine and two pairs of lone electrons. Each chlorine has three pairs of lone electrons. This structure satisfies the octet rule for each atom and uses all 20 valence electrons, making it a complete and happy molecular family.

That’s how you draw the Lewis structure for SCl2! It’s like putting together a puzzle where each piece is crucial for the whole picture. And in this case, the picture shows how atoms share electrons to stick together.

SCL2 Lewis Structure Shape

Shape of any molecule depends on the following factor-

  • Hybridization
  • Repulsive factor

If repulsive factor is totally absent in any molecule then only hybridization will determine the shape of the molecule and the actual geometry will be the shape of that molecule.

Repulsive factor can be different types. Among them three main repulsion is included here. They are-

  1. Lone pair-lone pair repulsion
  2. Lone pair-bond pair repulsion
  3. Bond pair-bond pair repulsion

The increasing order of this above repulsive factor is-

Lone pair-lone pair repulsion > Lone pair-bond pair repulsion > bond pair-bond pair repulsion.

In SCl2, sulfur has two lone pair and each of the fluorine has three lone pairs. Lone pairs of the sulfur atom will face repulsion with each other and with the bond pair electrons also. Thus, the actual structure is slightly deviated and it is shown bent structure with sp3 hybridization.

image 108
Shape of SCl2

SCL2 Lewis Structure Formal Charges

Lewis dot structure has a great significance in determining the formal charge of each of the atom in the molecular species. Formal charge decides if the molecule is a charged species of neutral.

Formal charge can be calculated using the following formula-

  • Formal charge = Total number of valance electrons – number of electrons remain as nonbonded – (number of electrons involved in bond formation/2)
  • Formal charge of sulfur = 6 – 4 – (4/2) = 0
  • Formal charge of each of the chlorine atom = 7 – 6 – (2/2) = 0

Nonbonded electrons on sulfur and chlorine are 4 and 6 respectively. Sulfur is attached with two bonds with two chlorine atoms so the boning electrons for sulfur is 4 and for chlorine is 2.

SCL2 Lewis Structure Lone Pairs

Lone pairs are basically those electrons which are not participating in bond formation. number of lone pairs on each atom can be calculated using the following formula-

  • Lone pair or nonbonded electron = Total number of valance electron – number of bonded electrons.
  • Nonbonded electrons on sulfur = 6 – 2 = 4
  • Nonbonded electrons on each of the chlorine atom = 7 – 1 = 6

Sulfur has six valance electron (3s2 3p4) and chlorine has one more valance electron than sulfur (3s2 3p5). Among these six valance electrons two electron are used in bond formation with chlorine. Thus, (6-2) = 4 electrons are left as nonbonded electrons. In chlorine only one electron is involved in bond formation with sulfur. Thus, (7-1) =6 electrons or three pair of electrons are left as nonbonded.

So, total nonbonding electrons in SCl2 is (4 + 2×6) = 16

SCl2 Hybridization

Hybridization occurs between two or more than two atomic orbitals for giving the molecule extra stability.

Central atom (sulfur) is sp3 hybridized in SCl2.  The hybridization of central atom can also be determined from the lewis structure also.

SCl2 Hybridization 1
Hybridization of SCl2

Thus, the geometry of the molecule is tetrahedral with bond angle 109.50. But due to presence of lone pair bond pair repulsion SCl2 is slightly deviated from its actual geometrical shape. The shape of SCl2 is observed as bent structure with <Cl S Cl bond angle 1030. This molecule has two bond pair with two lone pair which was predicted by the lewis structure is proved by the image of hybridization (shown above). In SCl2 one s orbital and three p orbitals of sulfur atom participate in hybridization. The percentage of s character in SCl2 is 25% and p character is 75%.

SCl2 Lewis Structure Octet Rule

Octet rule is defined as the rule of having eight electrons in the outer most shell of any atom to gain the extra stability. Through this rule, an atom will get the electron configuration like its nearest noble gas molecule.

The atom will have tendency to take part in any reaction until its octet will be filled up because valance shell electrons will only participate in reaction. Noble gases are very much less reactive as they have full filled electron configuration in their respective valance shell.

But octet rule is violated in SCl2 because both of the sulfur and chlorine are group three element and they cannot have eight electrons in their valance shell. They have s, p and d orbitals. S, p and d orbital have the capacity of having electron 2,6 and 10 respectively. Thus, any group three element can have eighteen electrons (2+ 6 +10 =18) in their valance shell.

So, SCl2 is an exception of octet rule due to presence of group III element (sulfur and chlorine).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is SCl2 reactive with water?

Answer: Yes, SCl2 reacts with water. After hydrolysis reaction, sulfurous acid, sulfur and hydrochloric acid are formed.

How can SCl2 be synthesized?

Answer: SCl2 can be synthesized by the reaction between chlorine with elemental sulfur or disulfur dichloride.

What are the uses of SCl2 in industry?

Answer: It is basically used as the chlorinating agent in the production of sulfur dyes, organic chemicals and synthetic rubber. It has also use as hardening reagent of soft woods.

Also Read:

9 Facts on HCN Lewis Dot Structure,Hybridization (Solved!)

STEPS 4

HCN Lewis dot structure is of great significance in terms of understanding the number of bond pairs, lone pairs, and type of bonds involved. Though the structure seems simple many underlying complexities to are going to be discussed in this article.

HCN Lewis dot structure consist of 3 elements as shown in the formula. Due to electronegativity difference carbon is the central atom which shares its 1 electron with hydrogen and 3 electrons with nitrogen to fulfill the stability criteria. This leads to formation of carbon forming single covalent bond with hydrogen and triple covalent bond with nitrogen.

HCN Lewis Structure

Elaborating more on HCN Lewis dot structure then it comprises 3 elements namely hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen. To determine the HCN Lewis Dot Structure first we need to look for valence electrons in individual atoms. Hydrogen (Atomic number = 1 and electronic configuration = 1) belongs to the 1st group of the periodic table and consists of only 1 electron. Similarly carbon (Atomic number = 6 and electronic configuration = 2,4) and nitrogen (Atomic number = 7 and electronic configuration = 2,5) belong to group 14 and 15 and consist of 4 and 5 valence electrons respectively.

It is also important to look out for the central atom when determining the HCN Lewis Dot Structure . The central atom can be identified by determining the electronegativity of all the elements present in the compound. The electronegativity value of C,  N, and O are 2.5, 3.5, and 2.1. Usually, the atom with the least electronegativity is considered for the position of the central atom. Here hydrogen is the least electronegative but it cannot occupy the central position because of the large electronegativity difference between hydrogen and carbon. Hence vectorially the movement of charge will be from hydrogen to carbon. So carbon will take the central position and nitrogen and hydrogen will be terminal atoms.

To complete its stability requirement hydrogen will share its 1 electron with 1 electron of carbon thereby forming a single (C-H) covalent bond. Carbon will share its remaining 3 electrons with nitrogen to achieve octet stability for itself and nitrogen. Due to sharing of 3 electrons between carbon and nitrogen, a triple covalent bond will be formed. Also, nitrogen will be left with single lone pair of electrons giving the best possible diagrammatic view of hydrogen cyanide.

HCN lewis dot structure

Hydrogen cyanide or HCN is a chemical compound that is a colorless, extremely toxic, volatile, and flammable liquid with a bitter almond-like smell that usually goes undetectable. It is also called prussic acid when dissolved in water. It is usually said that it’s named prussic acid because it was derived from Prussian blue by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Schlee. Many historical theories and researches believe that hydrogen cyanide was one of the first molecules found on early earth.

Many historical theories and researches believe that hydrogen cyanide was one of the first molecules found on early earth. Many old tales believe that comets and asteroids were responsible for their existence on earth. The chapter 15 of the book Hazardous gases published in 2021 and titled ‘Hydrogen cyanide: Risk assessment, environmental, and health hazard’ authors Manila and Payal Devi mentioned that current research has proven experimentally that during the early earth time hydrogen cyanide used to be a prerequisite or basic feedstock molecule responsible for the formation of sugars, nucleotides, and various other biomolecules. These biomolecules were the basis of the origin of life on earth thereby representing a significant contribution of HCN in the origin of life.

Elaborating on its structural properties, then HCN is a linear molecule and is of sp hybridization. Its bond angle is 180 degrees and it boils at room temperature only. In terms of solubility, it is completely miscible in water and ethanol. Another important property shown by it is that of tautomerism. HCN also has a tautomer named hydrogen isocyanide (HNC). The concept of tautomerism is of great importance in organic chemistry. Another concept explained by HCN and HNC is ambident nucleophiles which are again commonly discussed in organic synthesis.

molecular geometry of HCN
Figure representing the molecular model of HCN

The occurrence of HCN and the research conducted on it is quite vast and overwhelming. It is quite informative. Despite being highly poisonous it is found in a variety of unexpected places. In terms of natural occurrence, it is found in fruits with pits like apples, bitter almonds, cherries, etc. It is said that these pits contain cyanohydrins pigment which releases HCN. Many mass spectrometric analyses have shown the presence of HCN in Titan’s atmosphere.

In human physiology, HCN production has a very crucial role to play in neurotransmission, phagocytosis, and vasodilation. Many extensive and in-depth studies have detected the presence of HCN in the interstellar medium. Its formation and destruction have been noticed by high-level telescopes where it is found in the environment of stars.

HCN presence is not only famous in stories of space and the origin of life but it does have an instrumental role to play in the industry as well. It is the precursor to some well-known industrial compounds like sodium cyanide (NaCN) and potassium cyanide (KCN) which are major players in the gold and silver mining and electroplating industry.

. In the polymer industry, it has acted as an intermediate in the synthesis of monomer methyl methacrylate and Nylon 6,6. In the pesticide industry, it is used as a fumigant globally to protect food production facilities. It has proven as a good fumigant in terms of efficacy, application, and minimal environmental harm.

Ironically HCN presence is ubiquitous but it is still treated as one of the most dangerous and toxic compounds to be used. Unfolding pages of history are the evidence that it was used as one of the most dreaded chemical weapons. Direct human exposure to HCN through the air, water, food, touching cyanide soil, or through smoking is really bad for health. This is because it prevents the human cells from using oxygen and in turn affects the functioning of the heart and brain. So it is really important to protect ourselves from it. Many countries have issued specific guidelines on cyanide usage because even after surviving it causes uncontrollable damage.

HCN Lewis Dot Structure (Related FAQs)

Describe the polarity of HCN Lewis Dot Structure and its affects on polarity

HCN is a polar molecule due to the large electronegativity difference between its terminal atoms nitrogen and hydrogen. This electronegativity difference leads to a partial positive charge on the hydrogen end and a partial negative charge on the nitrogen end. Due to the difference in these charges, a dipole moment also exists. This dipole moment is responsible for the solubility of HCN in water.

Why HCN is considered as a weak acid ?

HCN is considered a weak acid as compared to HCl or H2SO4 because when dissolved in water or an aqueous medium it partially dissociates into hydronium ion and cyanide ion. On the other hand, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid completely dissociate in an aqueous medium. The factors for its low dissociation are the less electronegativity difference and less polarity as compared to strong acids

Define tautomerism as represented by HCN Lewis Dot Structure

Tautomerism is a kind of structural isomerism where there are no strict barriers in terms of interconversion of isomers. The structures are called tautomers and exist in dynamic equilibrium.

Explain about ambident nucleophilicity of HCN Lewis Dot Structure

Yes, HCN is an ambident nucleophile. It can be defined as an anionic nucleophile with two nucleophilic centers or two negative sites. Over here negative charge delocalization is also observed due to resonance. HCN and HNC are good examples of this concept which is used in organic synthesis.