GeF4 Lewis Structure in 6 Steps (With Images)

So you have seen the above image by now, right?

Let me explain the above image in short.

GeF4 lewis structure has a Germanium atom (Ge) at the center which is surrounded by four Fluorine atoms (F). There are 4 single bonds between the Germanium atom (Ge) and each Fluorine atom (F). There are 3 lone pairs on all the four Fluorine atoms (F).

If you haven’t understood anything from the above image of GeF4 lewis structure, then just stick with me and you will get the detailed step by step explanation on drawing a lewis structure of GeF4.

So let’s move to the steps of drawing the lewis structure of GeF4.

Steps of drawing GeF4 lewis structure

Step 1: Find the total valence electrons in GeF4 molecule

In order to find the total valence electrons in GeF4 molecule, first of all you should know the valence electrons present in germanium atom as well as fluorine atom.
(Valence electrons are the electrons that are present in the outermost orbit of any atom.)

Here, I’ll tell you how you can easily find the valence electrons of germanium as well as fluorine using a periodic table.

Total valence electrons in GeF4 molecule

→ Valence electrons given by germanium atom:

Germanium is group 14 element on the periodic table. ^[1] Hence the valence electrons present in germanium is 4.

You can see the 4 valence electrons present in the germanium atom as shown in the above image.

→ Valence electrons given by fluorine atom:

Fluorine is group 17 element on the periodic table. ^[2] Hence the valence electron present in fluorine is 7.

You can see the 7 valence electrons present in the fluorine atom as shown in the above image.

Hence, 

Total valence electrons in GeF4 molecule = valence electrons given by 1 germanium atom + valence electrons given by 4 fluorine atoms = 4 + 7(4) = 32.

Step 2: Select the central atom

For selecting the center atom, you have to remember that the atom which is less electronegative remains at the center.

Now here the given molecule is GeF4 and it contains germanium atom (Ge) and fluorine atoms (F).

You can see the electronegativity values of germanium atom (Ge) and fluorine atom (F) in the above periodic table.

If we compare the electronegativity values of germanium (Ge) and fluorine (F) then the germanium atom is less electronegative.

So here the germanium atom (Ge) is the center atom and the fluorine atoms (F) are the outside atoms.

Step 3: Connect each atoms by putting an electron pair between them

Now in the GeF4 molecule, you have to put the electron pairs between the germanium atom (Ge) and fluorine atoms (F).

This indicates that the germanium (Ge) and fluorine (F) are chemically bonded with each other in a GeF4 molecule.

Step 4: Make the outer atoms stable

Now in this step, you have to check the stability of the outer atoms.

Here in the sketch of GeF4 molecule, you can see that the outer atoms are fluorine atoms.

These outer fluorine atoms are forming an octet and hence they are stable.

Also, in step 1 we have calculated the total number of valence electrons present in the GeF4 molecule.

The GeF4 molecule has a total 32 valence electrons and all these valence electrons are used in the above sketch of GeF4.

Hence there are no remaining electron pairs to be kept on the central atom. 

So now let’s proceed to the next step.

Step 5: Check the octet on the central atom

In this step, you have to check whether the central germanium atom (Ge) is stable or not.

In order to check the stability of the central germanium (Ge) atom, we have to check whether it is forming an octet or not.

You can see from the above picture that the germanium atom is forming an octet. That means it has 8 electrons.

And hence the central germanium atom is stable.

Now let’s proceed to the final step to check whether the lewis structure of GeF4 is stable or not.

Step 6: Check the stability of lewis structure

Now you have come to the final step in which you have to check the stability of lewis structure of GeF4.

The stability of lewis structure can be checked by using a concept of formal charge.

In short, now you have to find the formal charge on germanium (Ge) atom as well as fluorine (F) atoms present in the GeF4 molecule.

For calculating the formal charge, you have to use the following formula;

Formal charge = Valence electrons – (Bonding electrons)/2 – Nonbonding electrons

You can see the number of bonding electrons and nonbonding electrons for each atom of GeF4 molecule in the image given below.

For Germanium (Ge) atom:
Valence electrons = 4 (because germanium is in group 14)
Bonding electrons = 8
Nonbonding electrons = 0

For Fluorine (F) atom:
Valence electron = 7 (because fluorine is in group 17)
Bonding electrons = 2
Nonbonding electrons = 6

Formal charge	=	Valence electrons	–	(Bonding electrons)/2	–	Nonbonding electrons
Ge	=	4	–	8/2	–	0	=	0
F	=	7	–	2/2	–	6	=	0

From the above calculations of formal charge, you can see that the germanium (Ge) atom as well as fluorine (F) atom has a “zero” formal charge.

This indicates that the above lewis structure of GeF4 is stable and there is no further change in the above structure of GeF4.

In the above lewis dot structure of GeF4, you can also represent each bonding electron pair (:) as a single bond (|). By doing so, you will get the following lewis structure of GeF4.

I hope you have completely understood all the above steps.

For more practice and better understanding, you can try other lewis structures listed below.

Try (or at least See) these lewis structures for better understanding:

XeI2 Lewis Structure	PF2Cl3 Lewis Structure
IBr4- Lewis Structure	SeOBr2 Lewis Structure
HBrO2 Lewis Structure	HBrO3 Lewis Structure