Draw the Lewis Structure for CCl2F2 and Provide the Following Information

To draw the Lewis structure for CCl₂F₂ (dichlorodifluoromethane), follow these steps:

1. Count the total number of valence electrons: Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons, each chlorine (Cl) has 7, and each fluorine (F) has 7. So, the total is 4 + (2 × 7) + (2 × 7) = 32 valence electrons.
2. Place the least electronegative atom in the center: Carbon is the least electronegative, so it goes in the center.
3. Connect the outer atoms to the central atom with single bonds: Attach two chlorine atoms and two fluorine atoms to the carbon atom using single bonds. This uses 8 electrons (4 bonds × 2 electrons).
4. Distribute the remaining electrons: Place the remaining 24 electrons around the outer atoms to satisfy the octet rule. Each chlorine and fluorine atom will have 6 lone pairs.

Now, let’s answer the specific questions:

a. Molecular Geometry: The molecular geometry of CCl₂F₂ is tetrahedral. This is because the central carbon atom is bonded to four other atoms (two chlorines and two fluorines) with no lone pairs on the carbon.

b. Electron Geometry: The electron geometry is also tetrahedral. The electron geometry considers both bonding pairs and lone pairs, but in this case, there are no lone pairs on the central atom, so it matches the molecular geometry.

c. Hybridization of the Central Atom: The carbon atom in CCl₂F₂ is sp³ hybridized. This means that the carbon atom uses one s orbital and three p orbitals to form four equivalent sp³ hybrid orbitals, which are used to bond with the four surrounding atoms.

d. Polarity: CCl₂F₂ is a polar molecule. Although the molecule is symmetrical, the difference in electronegativity between carbon and the halogens (chlorine and fluorine) creates dipole moments. The dipoles do not cancel out completely, resulting in a net dipole moment and making the molecule polar.