PF3Cl2 Lewis Structure in 5 Steps (With Images)

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

Let me explain the above image in short.

PF3Cl2 lewis structure has a Phosphorus atom (P) at the center which is surrounded by three Fluorine atoms (F) and two Chlorine atoms (Cl). There are single bonds between the Phosphorus-Fluorine atoms and Phosphorus-Chlorine atoms. There are 3 lone pairs on the Fluorine atoms (F) as well as Chlorine atoms (Cl).

If you haven’t understood anything from the above image of PF3Cl2 lewis structure, then just stick with me and you will get the detailed step by step explanation on drawing a lewis structure of PF3Cl2.

So let’s move to the steps of drawing the lewis structure of PF3Cl2.

Steps of drawing PF3Cl2 lewis structure

Step 1: Find the total valence electrons in PF3Cl2 molecule

In order to find the total valence electrons in a PF3Cl2 molecule, first of all you should know the valence electrons present in phosphorus atom, fluorine atom as well as chlorine 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 phosphorus, fluorine as well as chlorine using a periodic table.

Total valence electrons in PF3Cl2 molecule

→ Valence electrons given by phosphorus atom:

Phosphorus is group 15 element on the periodic table. ^[1] Hence the valence electrons present in phosphorus is 5.

You can see the 5 valence electrons present in the phosphorus 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.

→ Valence electrons given by chlorine atom:

Chlorine is group 17 element on the periodic table. ^[3] Hence the valence electrons present in chlorine is 7.

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

Hence, 

Total valence electrons in PF3Cl2 molecule = valence electrons given by 1 phosphorus atom + valence electrons given by 3 fluorine atoms + valence electrons given by 2 chlorine atoms = 5 + 7(3) + 7(2) = 40.

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 PF3Cl2 and it contains phosphorus atom (P), fluorine atoms (F) and chlorine atoms (Cl).

You can see the electronegativity values of phosphorus atom (P), fluorine atom (F) and chlorine atom (Cl) in the above periodic table.

If we compare the electronegativity values of phosphorus (P), fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl) then the phosphorus atom is less electronegative.

So here the phosphorus atom (P) is the center atom and the fluorine atoms (F) and chlorine atoms (Cl) are the outside atoms.

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

Now in the PF3Cl2 molecule, you have to put the electron pairs between the phosphorus atom (P), fluorine atoms (F) and chlorine atoms (Cl).

This indicates that the phosphorus (P), fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl) are chemically bonded with each other in a PF3Cl2 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 PF3Cl2 molecule, you can see that the outer atoms are chlorine atoms and fluorine atoms.

These outer chlorine and 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 PF3Cl2 molecule.

The PF3Cl2 molecule has a total 40 valence electrons and all these valence electrons are used in the above sketch of PF3Cl2.

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 stability of lewis structure

Now you have come to the final step in which you have to check the stability of lewis structure of PF3Cl2.

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 phosphorus (P) atom, fluorine (F) atoms as well as chlorine (Cl) atoms present in the PF3Cl2 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 PF3Cl2 molecule in the image given below.

For Phosphorus (P) atom:
Valence electrons = 5 (because phosphorus is in group 15)
Bonding electrons = 10
Nonbonding electrons = 0

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

For Chlorine (Cl) atom:
Valence electron = 7 (because chlorine is in group 17)
Bonding electrons = 2
Nonbonding electrons = 6

Formal charge	=	Valence electrons	–	(Bonding electrons)/2	–	Nonbonding electrons
P	=	5	–	10/2	–	0	=	0
F	=	7	–	2/2	–	6	=	0
Cl	=	7	–	2/2	–	6	=	0

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

This indicates that the above lewis structure of PF3Cl2 is stable and there is no further change in the above structure of PF3Cl2.

In the above lewis dot structure of PF3Cl2, you can also represent each bonding electron pair (:) as a single bond (|). By doing so, you will get the following lewis structure of PF3Cl2.

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:

HClO4 Lewis Structure	SeS2 Lewis Structure
TeBr4 Lewis Structure	NO4 3- Lewis Structure
C2H2F2 Lewis Structure	C2Br2 Lewis Structure