What is the molecular geometry of sulfur tetrachloride?

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Question: What is the molecular geometry of sulfur tetrachloride?

Option a: tetrahedral. This would be the geometry for a central atom with four bonding pairs and no lone pairs (AX4). However, sulfur tetrachloride (SCl4) has 5 electron domains around sulfur when considering lone pairs, so it cannot be purely tetrahedral. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Option b: square planar. Square planar geometry occurs in certain d8 transition-metal complexes or AX4E2 cases under strong repulsion leading to a planar arrangement with two lone pairs. SCl4 does not adopt a square planar shape; sulfur in SCl4 carries a lone pair and the arrangement is not 90-degree constrained in a planar square. Thus this option is not correct.

Option c: square pyramidal. Square pyramidal geometry would arise in AX5E1 (five bonding pairs and one lone pair) or similar arrangements. SCl4 has four Cl ligands, not five, and the electron-domain count does not support a square pyramidal shape for this molecule. This makes this option incorrect.

Option d: disphenoidal. In VSEPR terms, SCl4 has five electron domains (four bond pairs to Cl atoms and one lone pair on sulfur), which typically yields a see-saw shape. The see-saw geometry is sometimes described as disphenoidal in older or alternative terminology, reflecting a distorted tetrahedral-like arrangement due to the lone pair. Therefore, this option best corresponds to the commonly accepted description for SCl4 among the given choices.

Summary: The molecule has five electron domains around sulfur (four bonds and one lone pair), leading to a see-saw/disphenoidal molecular geometry rather than a perfect tetrahedral, square planar, or square pyramidal arrangement. Hence, option d is the most accurate choice among the provided options.

CHM1051 MUM S2 2025 CHM1051 Practice Exam 2

What is the molecular geometry of sulfur tetrachloride?

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