Lewis Structure + Molecular shapes

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The discussion centers on determining the molecular shape of the ion ICl4-. The participants analyze the Lewis structure, noting that iodine is bonded to four chlorine atoms and has additional lone pairs. The confusion arises from the electron domain count, with one participant initially miscalculating the total domains. The correct hybridization is identified as sp^3d^2, leading to a square planar geometry due to the presence of two non-bonding electron pairs. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding bonding and non-bonding domains in molecular geometry, clarifying that the extra electron from the negative charge contributes to the overall electron count but does not affect the molecular shape. The final consensus is that ICl4- has a square planar structure, with the lone pairs positioned perpendicular to the plane formed by the chlorine atoms.
whozum
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3. Which of the following is the molecular shape of the ion, ICl4-?

A. Tetrahedral
B. See saw
C. Square planar
D. Square pyramidal
E. Trigonal pyramidal

I drew the lewis structure, 4 chlorines bound to an Iodine. Iodine has 7, Each clorine has 7 with 35 total, the bonds account for 4, so distributing the rest of the 31 electrons, I put 6 on each chloride, and 6 on the iodine, with the extra electron floating since its a negative ion.

This is kinda bugging me since Iodine has 8 electrons from the bonds alone, and now the extra electrons put it up to 14. I must have drawn it wrong, but anyway:

Molecular shape is decided by electron domains, and since we have 4 from bonds and 3 from electron pairs, 7 total. Thats way too many, we only went up to 6 electron domains in class, and that's for a square planar.

Help? My test is next week.
 
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It can't be square planar.It's a square pyramid.I hope u see why.


Daniel.
 
In all honesty I can't relate the names to the geometries.

I know the seesaw one is a vertical (z) axis, and on the xy plane, 3 branches 120 degrees apart.

I believe square planar is shaped like an x,y,z axis is set up.

Do you know if I did my lewis structure right?
 
Also the answer sheet says its square planar.
 
Yes,one electron does provide the mesomerical (Pauling) structures...But it's okay.Just the geometry that u found was incorrect.Maybe u'll learn about Gillespie's models,too.

Daniel.
 
I have no idea of what what you just said means.
 
I'm sorry,you're right.The hybridization is not \mbox{sp}^{3},so it's not a pyramid (somewhat similar to methane).The "d" orbitals of Iodine participate,too.I think it's \text{sp}^{2}\text{d} who's got a planar structure.


Daniel.
 
The hybridization is sp^3d^2. The structure is square planar. There will be two non-bonding pairs oriented normal to the plane (along +z and -z).
 
whozum said:
Molecular shape is decided by electron domains, and since we have 4 from bonds and 3 from electron pairs, 7 total.
Here's your mistake. There are only 6 pairs : 4 bonding pairs with the chlorines, (that leaves 3 electrons on I, plus the extra electron for the negative charge), and 2 non-bonding pairs.
 
  • #10
Gokul43201 said:
The hybridization is sp^3d^2. The structure is square planar. There will be two non-bonding pairs oriented normal to the plane (along +z and -z).

That means two things

1.I screwed it up real badly. :frown:
2.The structure should be octaedrical.But it's square planar,because of the 2 nonbonding pairs which don't count.Reminds me of water molecule with 2 non bonding pairs.

Daniel.
 
  • #11
Gokul43201 said:
Here's your mistake. There are only 6 pairs : 4 bonding pairs with the chlorines, (that leaves 3 electrons on I, plus the extra electron for the negative charge), and 2 non-bonding pairs.

Ok so there are two electron pair domains on the iodine aside from the bonds. So the chlorines iwll all be one a plane. The extra electron pairs will go perpendicular to this plane, and since they arent molecular, have no structure.

The electron geometry would be the x-y-z looking one, octahedral?
 
  • #12
Yes,it should be octaedrical,typical for \mbox{sp}^{3}\mbox{d}^{2} hybridization.

Daniel.
 
  • #13
whozum said:
The electron geometry would be the x-y-z looking one, octahedral?
I'm not sure if this is what you mean by "x-y-z looking one" but essentially, you have one electron pair pointing along each of the 6 rectangular co-ordinate axes directions (+x, -x, +y, -y, +z, -z). The alternate way of picturing it is in terms of a pair of square pyramids stuck to each other; or otherwise, 4 pairs pointing towards the corners of a square (with the central atom in the middle of the square) and 2 pairs pointing normally up and down.
 
  • #14
xyz looking one means the structure where it lokos like the xyz axes on a graph. I believe we are talking about the same one, octahedral. I just need to look over the names of the geometries.

Thanks to both of you.
 
  • #15
It would be [c] because looking at I itself, it has 2 lone pair (4 valence electrons; don't forget the -ve charge on the molecule) and 4 arms sticking out to hold the Cl atoms to it.

Don't panic, try to visualise it this way...a piece of square cardboard with the I atom in the middle, 4 Cl atoms at the corners, and then you have 2 big lobes (2 lone paris) sticking out from the top and bottom of the cardboard.

Hope this helps! :smile:
 
  • #16
Some additional notes to help you prepare (try to memorise them!)

Bonding domains (BD) - bonded to another atom
Non-bonding domains (NBD) - signify lone pairs

[2 pairs]
Linear - 2 BD, 0 NBD e.g. CO2

[3 pairs] incld lone pairs
Trigonal planar - 3 BD, 0 NBD
Bent - 2 BD, 1 NBD

[4 pairs] incld lone pairs
Tetrahedral - 4 BD, 0 NBD
Trigonal pyramidal - 3 BD, 1 NBD
Bent (tetrahedral) - 2 BD, 2 NBD e.g. H20

[5 pairs] incld lone pairs
Trigonal bipyrimidal - 5 BD, 0 NBD
Seesaw - 4 BD, 1 NBD
T-shaped - 3 BD, 2 NBD
Linear (trigonal bipyramidal) - 2 BD, 3 NBD *this one has 3 lobes (3 lone pairs) surrounding the central atom on a plane and 2 atom attached to it from the top and bottom.*

[6 pairs] incld lone pairs
Octahedral - 6 BD, 0 NBD
Square pyrimidal - 5 BD, 1 NBD
Square planar - 4 BD, 2 NBD
 
  • #17
Hold on a second.Isn't \mbox{CO}_{2}

\left|\bar{O}=C=\bar{O}\right|

,with 4 pairs ...?


Daniel.
 
  • #18
CO2 has 2 bonding domains, the lone pairs are on the oxygen atoms and not the central carbon atom. Each double bond counts as one electron domain.

No of electron domains = No of atoms bonded to central atom + No of non-bonding pairs on the central atom.
 
  • #19
Okay,i see.I wasn't familiar with this terminology.

Daniel.
 
  • #20
where does the extra electron come from that makes the entire molecule negative?
 

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