Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the ion SCl_6^2+?

• A. Sulfur is surrounded by six chlorine atoms, and the structure has a total of 2 fewer electrons than the neutral SCl_6 molecule.
• B. Sulfur is surrounded by four chlorine atoms, and the structure has a total of 2 extra electrons compared to the neutral SCl_6 molecule.
• C. Sulfur is surrounded by six chlorine atoms, and each chlorine atom has a double bond to sulfur.
• D. Sulfur is surrounded by five chlorine atoms, and the structure has a total of 2 fewer electrons than the neutral SCl_6 molecule.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the central atom and the surrounding atoms in the ion SCl_6^{2+}. Here, sulfur (S) is the central atom surrounded by six chlorine (Cl) atoms.
2. Determine the total number of valence electrons for the neutral SCl_6 molecule by adding the valence electrons of sulfur and six chlorine atoms. Sulfur has 6 valence electrons, and each chlorine has 7 valence electrons.
3. Adjust the total number of electrons to account for the 2+ charge on the ion. Since the ion has a 2+ charge, it means there are 2 fewer electrons than in the neutral molecule.
4. Consider the bonding: sulfur can expand its octet because it is in period 3, so it can accommodate more than 8 electrons, allowing it to form six single bonds with chlorine atoms.
5. Evaluate the given statements based on the electron count and bonding: the correct description should reflect sulfur bonded to six chlorines with 2 fewer electrons than the neutral molecule, consistent with the 2+ charge.