Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the SF_6 molecule?

• A. Sulfur is surrounded by six fluorine atoms, each forming a double bond, and sulfur has two lone pairs.
• B. Sulfur is surrounded by six fluorine atoms, each forming a single bond, and sulfur has one lone pair.
• C. Sulfur is surrounded by four fluorine atoms, each forming a single bond, and sulfur has two lone pairs.
• D. Sulfur is surrounded by six fluorine atoms, each forming a single bond, and sulfur has no lone pairs.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for bonding in SF_6. Sulfur (S) is in group 16 and has 6 valence electrons, and each fluorine (F) atom is in group 17 with 7 valence electrons. Since there are 6 fluorine atoms, calculate the total valence electrons as: \$6 + 6 \times 7$.
2. Step 2: Understand the bonding preferences of sulfur and fluorine. Fluorine typically forms one single bond to complete its octet, while sulfur can expand its octet because it is in period 3 and has available d orbitals.
3. Step 3: Draw the Lewis structure by placing sulfur in the center and surrounding it with six fluorine atoms. Connect each fluorine to sulfur with a single bond, using two electrons per bond.
4. Step 4: Assign lone pairs to fluorine atoms to complete their octets. Each fluorine needs three lone pairs (6 electrons) in addition to the bonding pair to have a full octet.
5. Step 5: Check the sulfur atom's electron count. After forming six single bonds, sulfur will have 12 electrons around it, which is allowed due to its ability to expand its octet. Confirm that sulfur has no lone pairs in this structure.