Chemical Bonding: SF₂ Lewis Structure

Drawing the Lewis Structure for SF₂

Viewing Notes:

• In the SF₂ is Lewis structure Sulfur (S) which is the least electronegative and goes at the center of the Lewis structure.
• Fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table and goes on the outside of the structure.
• The Lewis structure for SF₂ has 20 valence electrons available to work with.

Transcript: Dr. B. here. Let's do the SF2 Lewis structure. Sulfur has 6 valence electrons. Fluorine has 7, but we have two of them. Six plus 14 equals 20 total valence electrons. We'll put Sulfur at the center and the Fluorines on either side. Put a pair of electrons between atoms to form chemical bonds. We've used four; and then on the outside, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and then on the middle, 18, 20. Fluorine has eight valence electrons. So does this one. And Sulfur has eight valence electrons, as well.

So we've used all our valence electrons, and we have octets. So this is a possible Lewis structure for SF2. If we check the formal charges, we'll see that they're all zero.

So this is going to be the best structure for SF2. This is Dr. B., and thanks for watching.