Question

If the sulfur dichloride molecule, SCl₂, were to form, what would its structure look like? Use a bond (−−−) to represent a bonding pair of electrons and two dots (∙∙) to represent a lone pair of electrons.

Draw the molecule by placing atoms on the grid and connecting them with bonds. Show all lone pairs of electrons.

Answer 1

Sulfur dichloride (SCl₂) has a bent structure due to two lone pairs on the central sulfur atom, which bonds with two chlorine atoms each having three lone pairs.

Step-by-step explanation:

Structure of Sulfur Dichloride (SCl₂)

The molecule of sulfur dichloride (SCl₂) has a bent molecular geometry due to the presence of lone pairs. The central atom is sulfur, which has six valence electrons. To draw the Lewis structure of SCl₂, we place a sulfur atom in the center with a chlorine atom on each side. Two single bonds are drawn to connect the sulfur to each chlorine atom. Sulfur should be depicted with two lone pairs of electrons, representing its six valence electrons. Each chlorine atom has seven valence electrons and forms a single bond with sulfur, using one electron. The remaining six electrons on each chlorine atom are depicted as three lone pairs. This gives each chlorine atom a total of eight electrons, satisfying the octet rule.

Here's how the Lewis structure of SCl₂ looks:

:Cl:
∣
.. ∣ ..
:S:
.. ∣ ..
∣
:Cl:

Each dash (∣) represents a bonded pair of electrons, and the dots (..) represent lone pairs of electrons. The sulfur has two lone pairs, and each chlorine atom has three lone pairs.