Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound S2F2?

• A. The two sulfur atoms are double-bonded to each other, and each sulfur is bonded to one fluorine atom, with no lone pairs on sulfur.
• B. Each fluorine atom is bonded to both sulfur atoms, forming a four-membered ring.
• C. Each sulfur atom is bonded to two fluorine atoms, and the sulfur atoms are not bonded to each other.
• D. Each sulfur atom is bonded to one fluorine atom and to the other sulfur atom, with each sulfur having one lone pair.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the total number of valence electrons available for the molecule S2F2. Sulfur (S) has 6 valence electrons, and fluorine (F) has 7 valence electrons. Since there are 2 sulfur atoms and 2 fluorine atoms, calculate the total valence electrons as: \$2 \times 6 + 2 \times 7$.
2. Step 2: Determine the skeletal structure of the molecule. Since the compound is S2F2, start by connecting the two sulfur atoms together, as sulfur atoms often bond to each other, and then attach one fluorine atom to each sulfur atom.
3. Step 3: Distribute the remaining valence electrons to satisfy the octet rule for each atom. Place lone pairs on the fluorine atoms first to complete their octets, then place any remaining electrons as lone pairs on the sulfur atoms.
4. Step 4: Check the bonding and lone pairs on sulfur atoms. Each sulfur should have one bond to the other sulfur atom, one bond to a fluorine atom, and one lone pair to complete its octet, consistent with the correct Lewis structure.
5. Step 5: Verify that the structure satisfies the octet rule for all atoms and that the total number of electrons used matches the total valence electrons calculated in Step 1.