SbF6- Lewis structure

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SbF6- Lewis Structure
SbF6 Lewis structure | Image: Learnool

SbF6 has one antimony atom and six fluorine atoms.

In SbF6 Lewis structure, there are six single bonds around the antimony atom, with six fluorine atoms attached to it, and on each fluorine atom, there are three lone pairs.

Also, there is a negative (-1) charge on the antimony atom.

Steps

Use these steps to correctly draw the SbF6 Lewis structure:

#1 First draw a rough sketch
#2 Mark lone pairs on the atoms
#3 Calculate and mark formal charges on the atoms, if required

Let’s discuss each step in more detail.

#1 First draw a rough sketch

  • First, determine the total number of valence electrons
Periodic table | Image: Learnool

In the periodic table, antimony lies in group 15, and fluorine lies in group 17.

Hence, antimony has five valence electrons and fluorine has seven valence electrons.

Since SbF6 has one antimony atom and six fluorine atoms, so…

Valence electrons of one antimony atom = 5 × 1 = 5
Valence electrons of six fluorine atoms = 7 × 6 = 42

Now the SbF6 has a negative (-1) charge, so we have to add one more electron.

So the total valence electrons = 5 + 42 + 1 = 48

  • Second, find the total electron pairs

We have a total of 48 valence electrons. And when we divide this value by two, we get the value of total electron pairs.

Total electron pairs = total valence electrons ÷ 2

So the total electron pairs = 48 ÷ 2 = 24

  • Third, determine the central atom

We have to place the least electronegative atom at the center.

Since antimony is less electronegative than fluorine, assume that the central atom is antimony.

Therefore, place antimony in the center and fluorines on either side.

  • And finally, draw the rough sketch
SbF6- Lewis Structure (Step 1)
Rough sketch of SbF6 Lewis structure | Image: Learnool

#2 Mark lone pairs on the atoms

Here, we have a total of 24 electron pairs. And six Sb — F bonds are already marked. So we have to only mark the remaining eighteen electron pairs as lone pairs on the sketch.

Also remember that antimony is a period 5 element, so it can keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell. And fluorine is a period 2 element, so it can not keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell.

Always start to mark the lone pairs from outside atoms. Here, the outside atoms are fluorines.

So for each fluorine, there are three lone pairs, and for antimony, there is zero lone pair because all eighteen electron pairs are over.

Mark the lone pairs on the sketch as follows:

SbF6- Lewis Structure (Step 2)
Lone pairs marked on SbF6 Lewis structure | Image: Learnool

#3 Calculate and mark formal charges on the atoms, if required

Use the following formula to calculate the formal charges on atoms:

Formal charge = valence electrons – nonbonding electrons – ½ bonding electrons

For antimony atom, formal charge = 5 – 0 – ½ (12) = -1

For each fluorine atom, formal charge = 7 – 6 – ½ (2) = 0

Here, the antimony atom has a charge, so mark it on the sketch as follows:

SbF6- Lewis Structure (Step 3)
Formal charges marked, and got the most stable Lewis structure of SbF6 | Image: Learnool

In the above structure, you can see that the central atom (antimony) forms an octet. And the outside atoms (fluorines) also form an octet. Hence, the octet rule is satisfied.

Therefore, this structure is the most stable Lewis structure of SbF6.

And since the SbF6 has a negative (-1) charge, mention that charge on the Lewis structure by drawing brackets as follows:

SbF6- Lewis Structure (Final)
SbF6 Lewis structure showing a negative (-1) charge | Image: Learnool

Next: SbCl3 Lewis structure

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Deep

Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.

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