Chemical Bonding: SiCl₄ Lewis Structure

Drawing the Lewis Structure for SiCl₄

Viewing Notes:

• SiCl₄ is similar to the SiF₄ Lewis structure.
• The Lewis structure for SiCl₄ has 32 valence electrons available to work with.

Transcript: Hi, this is Dr. B. Let's do the SiCl4 Lewis structure. Si is in group 4 or 14 on the periodic table, so it has 4 valence electrons. Cl, group 7 or 17 has 7. We've got four Cl's there, so if we multiply that all together we've got 28 plus 4: 32 total valence electrons. We'll put the Si at the center. It is the least electronegative. Then put the Chlorines on the outside.

So now we have 32 valence electrons. We'll put two between the atoms to form chemical bonds. There we've used eight. And then around the outside: 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32. Thirty-two valence electrons. OK, let's see if we have octets. So Chlorine needs eight valence electrons. That Chlorine has eight, as does that, that, and that. And in the center, Si has eight valence electrons, as well.

So we've used all 32 valence electrons. Each of the atoms has an octet or full outer shell, and that is the Lewis structure for SiCl4. This is Dr. B., and thanks for watching.