SiH3- Lewis structure

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SiH₃^– (silanide) has one silicon atom and three hydrogen atoms.

In SiH₃^– Lewis structure, there are three single bonds around the silicon atom, with three hydrogen atoms attached to it, and on the silicon atom, there is one lone pair.

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

Steps

Here’s how you can easily draw the SiH₃^– Lewis structure step by step:

#1 Draw a rough skeleton structure
#2 Mention lone pairs on the atoms
#3 If needed, mention formal charges on the atoms

Now, let’s take a closer look at each step mentioned above.

#1 Draw a rough skeleton structure

• First, determine the total number of valence electrons

In the periodic table, silicon lies in group 14, and hydrogen lies in group 1.

Hence, silicon has four valence electrons and hydrogen has one valence electron.

Since SiH₃^– has one silicon atom and three hydrogen atoms, so…

Valence electrons of one silicon atom = 4 × 1 = 4
Valence electrons of three hydrogen atoms = 1 × 3 = 3

Now the SiH₃^– has a negative (-1) charge, so we have to add one more electron.

So the total valence electrons = 4 + 3 + 1 = 8

Learn how to find: Silicon valence electrons and Hydrogen valence electrons

• Second, find the total electron pairs

We have a total of 8 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 = 8 ÷ 2 = 4

• Third, determine the central atom

Here hydrogen can not be the central atom. Because the central atom is bonded with at least two other atoms, and hydrogen has only one electron in its last shell, so it can not make more than one bond.

Hence, here we have to assume that the central atom is silicon.

Therefore, place silicon in the center and hydrogens on either side.

• And finally, draw the rough sketch

#2 Mention lone pairs on the atoms

Here, we have a total of 4 electron pairs. And three Si — H bonds are already marked. So we have to only mark the remaining one electron pair as a lone pair on the sketch.

Also remember that silicon is a period 3 element, so it can keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell. And hydrogen is a period 1 element, so it can not keep more than 2 electrons in its last shell.

Always start to mark the lone pairs from outside atoms. Here, the outside atoms are hydrogens. But no need to mark on hydrogen, because each hydrogen has already two electrons.

So for silicon, there is one lone pair.

Mark the lone pair on the sketch as follows:

#3 If needed, mention formal charges on the atoms

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

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

For silicon atom, formal charge = 4 – 2 – ½ (6) = -1

For each hydrogen atom, formal charge = 1 – 0 – ½ (2) = 0

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

In the above structure, you can see that the central atom (silicon) forms an octet. And the outside atoms (hydrogens) also form a duet. Hence, the octet rule and duet rule are satisfied.

Now there is still a negative (-1) charge on the silicon atom.

This is okay, because the structure with a negative charge on the most electronegative atom is the best Lewis structure. And in this case, the most electronegative element is silicon.

Therefore, this structure is the most stable Lewis structure of SiH₃^–.

And since the SiH₃^– has a negative (-1) charge, mention that charge on the Lewis structure by drawing brackets as follows:

Next: AsBr₃ Lewis structure

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