Draw and Explain the Electron Dot Structure for CF2Cl2

The electron dot structure, also known as the Lewis structure, for carbon difluoride dichloride (CF₂Cl₂), illustrates the arrangement of valence electrons around the atoms in the molecule.

To begin, let’s identify the number of valence electrons for each atom in CF₂Cl₂:

• Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons.
• Fluorine (F) has 7 valence electrons, and there are two fluorine atoms, contributing a total of 14 electrons.
• Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons, and there are two chlorine atoms, contributing a total of 14 electrons.

Now, we can sum the total number of valence electrons:

4 (from C) + 14 (from F₂) + 14 (from Cl₂) = 32 valence electrons.

Next, we can layout the atoms. Carbon is the central atom since it is less electronegative than fluorine and chlorine. The arrangement around the carbon atom will include two fluorine atoms and two chlorine atoms:

      F
      |
  Cl - C - Cl
      |
      F

To distribute the electrons, we connect each atom with single bonds, which uses up 8 electrons (4 bonds). Now, we are left with:

32 – 8 = 24 valence electrons.

Next, we need to complete the octets for the surrounding atoms. Each fluorine and chlorine needs 6 more electrons to achieve a full octet:

• Each F needs 6 electrons: 2 F × 6 = 12 electrons.
• Each Cl also needs 6 electrons: 2 Cl × 6 = 12 electrons.

This uses up all of our remaining electrons:

24 (remaining) – 12 (for F₂) – 12 (for Cl₂) = 0.

Thus, the final Lewis structure for CF₂Cl₂ shows that carbon is at the center with single bonds connecting to two fluorine and two chlorine atoms:

      :F:
       |
  :Cl: - C - :Cl:
       |
      :F:

In this structure, the dots represent the valence electrons, showcasing the bonds and how electrons are shared among the atoms. Each atom achieves a complete octet in this configuration, which is a stable arrangement.