Determine the Lewis & VSEPR structure for ClO2F and determine if the molecule is polar.

Determine the Lewis & VSEPR structure for ClO2F and determine if the molecule is polar.

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:

Lewis Structure of ClO2F:

1. Total Valence Electrons:
   • Chlorine (Cl) is in Group 17, so it has 7 valence electrons.
   • Oxygen (O) is in Group 16, so each oxygen has 6 valence electrons, and there are 2 oxygens.
   • Fluorine (F) is in Group 17, so it has 7 valence electrons.
   Total electrons = 7 (Cl) + 2(6) (O) + 7 (F) = 26 valence electrons.
2. Arrangement:
   • Chlorine (Cl) will be the central atom, as it is less electronegative than oxygen and fluorine.
   • Connect Cl to each oxygen and fluorine using single bonds (one pair of electrons per bond).
3. Distribute Electrons:
   After forming single bonds (Cl-O, Cl-O, and Cl-F), distribute the remaining electrons:
   • Two bonds (Cl-O) each use 2 electrons, and one bond (Cl-F) uses 2 electrons.
   • This leaves 26 – 6 = 20 electrons to be placed as lone pairs.
   • Place lone pairs on oxygen atoms first, giving each oxygen 6 electrons (3 lone pairs).
   • Place the remaining electrons on fluorine as 3 lone pairs.
4. Final Lewis Structure:
   • Chlorine forms a single bond with two oxygen atoms and one bond with fluorine.
   • Each oxygen has two lone pairs, and fluorine has three lone pairs.
   The Lewis structure looks like this:
   Cl-O-O-F

VSEPR Structure:

• Chlorine has 3 regions of electron density (2 bonding regions from O and F and 1 lone pair), so the electron geometry is trigonal planar.
• The molecular geometry is bent (since one of the electron densities is a lone pair).
• The bond angles are less than 120° due to the lone pair on chlorine.

Polarity:

• Polarity depends on the symmetry of the molecule and the electronegativity difference between atoms.
• Chlorine is less electronegative than oxygen, and fluorine is more electronegative than chlorine.
• The molecular shape is bent, creating a dipole moment where the fluorine atom is slightly negative, and chlorine is slightly positive.
• Therefore, the molecule is polar, with the dipole pointing from chlorine to fluorine.

Conclusion:

• The molecule has a bent geometry, with polar bonds. Since it lacks symmetry and has a net dipole moment, ClO2F is polar.