Draw the Lewis structure for COCl2, including lone pairs.What is the molecular shape of COCl2? The C – Cl bond in COCl2 is polar or nonpolar? What is the Cl – C – Cl bond angle? The molecule COCl2 is polar or nonpolar?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The Lewis structure for COCl₂ is drawn as follows:
- The central atom is carbon (C), which forms single bonds with two chlorine (Cl) atoms.
- Each chlorine atom has three lone pairs, and the carbon atom has two lone pairs.
- The chlorine atoms are placed symmetrically around the carbon atom, with the bonds between them and carbon depicted as single bonds.
Molecular Shape of COCl₂:
- The molecular shape of COCl₂ is linear. This is due to the two regions of electron density around the central carbon atom, resulting in a bond angle of 180° between the two chlorine atoms.
C-Cl Bond Polarity:
- The C-Cl bond in COCl₂ is polar. Chlorine is more electronegative than carbon, so it pulls electron density toward itself, creating a dipole with a partial negative charge on chlorine and a partial positive charge on carbon.
Cl-C-Cl Bond Angle:
- The Cl-C-Cl bond angle in COCl₂ is 180°, which is characteristic of a linear molecular geometry.
Polarity of the COCl₂ Molecule:
- The overall molecule, COCl₂, is nonpolar. Despite having polar bonds, the molecular geometry is linear, and the dipoles of the two C-Cl bonds cancel each other out due to their symmetrical arrangement. Therefore, COCl₂ does not have a net dipole moment.
In summary:
- The molecular shape is linear.
- The C-Cl bond is polar.
- The bond angle is 180°.
- COCl₂ is nonpolar overall due to the cancellation of dipoles.