Question

thionyl chloride (socl₂) is a chlorinating reagent used to prepare alkyl halides from alcohols. draw the lewis structure of socl₂ (with minimized formal charges), then determine the hybridization of the sulfur atom.

Explanation:

Step1: Determine the Lewis structure of \(SOCl_2\)

The sulfur atom is the central atom. Sulfur has 6 valence electrons, oxygen has 6 valence electrons, and each chlorine has 7 valence electrons. Total valence electrons \(=6 + 6+2\times7=26\).
Sulfur forms a double - bond with oxygen (\(S = O\)) and single - bonds with two chlorine atoms (\(S - Cl\)). There is also a lone pair on sulfur.

Step2: Calculate the number of electron - groups around sulfur

The number of electron - groups (bonding + non - bonding) around sulfur: 3 bonding groups (\(S = O\) counts as one group, and two \(S - Cl\) bonds) and 1 lone pair. So, the total number of electron - groups \(=3 + 1=4\).

Step3: Determine the hybridization

According to the VSEPR (Valence - Shell Electron - Pair Repulsion) theory, if the number of electron - groups around an atom is 4, the hybridization is \(sp^{3}\).

Answer:

\(sp^{3}\) (Option D)