Lewis structure of CHF3

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The Lewis structure of CHF₃ contains four single bonds, with carbon in the center, and hydrogen and three fluorines on either side. There are three lone pairs on each fluorine atom, and carbon atom and hydrogen atom do not have any lone pair.

Steps

By using the following steps, you can easily draw the Lewis structure of CHF₃.

#1 Draw skeleton
#2 Show chemical bond
#3 Mark lone pairs
#4 Calculate formal charge and check stability (if octet is already completed on central atom)

Let’s one by one discuss each step in detail.

#1 Draw skeleton

In this step, first calculate the total number of valence electrons. And then, decide the central atom.

• Let’s calculate the total number of valence electrons

We know that… carbon is a group 14 element, hydrogen is a group 1 element, and fluorine is a group 17 element. Hence, carbon has four valence electrons, hydrogen has one valence electron, and fluorine has seven valence electrons.

Now CHF₃ has one carbon atom, one hydrogen atom, and three fluorine atoms.

So the total number of valence electrons = valence electrons of carbon atom + valence electrons of hydrogen atom + (valence electrons of fluorine atom × 3)

Therefore, the total number of valence electrons = 4 + 1 + 21 = 26

• Now decide the central atom

We can not assume hydrogen as the central atom, because the central atom is bonded with at least two other atoms. And hydrogen has only one electron in its last shell, so it can not make more than one bond.

Therefore, choose the central atom from carbon and fluorine.

The atom with the least electronegative value is placed at the center. By looking at the periodic table, we get the electronegativity values for carbon and fluorine as follows:

Electronegativity value of carbon = 2.55
Electronegativity value of fluorine = 3.98

Obviously, carbon is less electronegative than fluorine. Hence, assume that carbon is the central atom.

So now, put carbon in the center and hydrogen and fluorines on either side. And draw the rough skeleton structure for the Lewis structure of CHF₃ something like this:

Also read: How to draw Lewis structure of XeF₅⁺ (4 steps)

#2 Show chemical bond

Place two electrons between the atoms to show a chemical bond. Since carbon is surrounded by hydrogen and three fluorines, use eight electrons to show four chemical bonds as follows:

Also read: How to draw Lewis structure of ClBr₃ (4 steps)

#3 Mark lone pairs

As calculated earlier, we have a total of 26 valence electrons. And in the above structure, we have already used eight valence electrons. Hence, eighteen valence electrons are remaining.

Two valence electrons represent one lone pair. So eighteen valence electrons = nine lone pairs.

Note that both (carbon and fluorine) are the period 2 elements, so they can not keep more than 8 electrons in their last shell. And hydrogen is a period 1 element, so it can not keep more than 2 electrons in its last shell.

Also, make sure that you start marking these lone pairs on outside atoms first. And then, on the central atom.

The outside atoms are hydrogen and fluorines. But hydrogen can not keep more than 2 electrons in its last shell. Hence, don’t mark the lone pairs on hydrogen.

So each fluorine will get three lone pairs. And the central atom (carbon) will not get any lone pair, because all nine lone pairs are used.

Now draw the Lewis structure of CHF₃ something like this:

In the above structure, you can see that the octet is completed on the central atom (carbon), and also on the outside atoms. Therefore, the octet rule is satisfied.

After completing the octet, one last thing we need to do is, calculate the formal charge and check the stability of the above structure.

Also read: How to draw Lewis structure of CH₃COO^– (5 steps)

#4 Calculate formal charge and check stability

The following formula is used to calculate the formal charges on atoms:

Formal charge = valence electrons – nonbonding electrons – ½ bonding electrons

Collect the data from the above structure and then, write it down below as follows:

• For carbon atom

Valence electrons = 4
Nonbonding electrons = 0
Bonding electrons = 8

Formal charge = 4 – 0 – ½ (8) = 0

• For hydrogen atom

Valence electrons = 1
Nonbonding electrons = 0
Bonding electrons = 2

Formal charge = 1 – 0 – ½ (2) = 0

• For each fluorine atom

Valence electrons = 7
Nonbonding electrons = 6
Bonding electrons = 2

Formal charge = 7 – 6 – ½ (2) = 0

Mention the formal charges of atoms on the structure. So the Lewis structure of CHF₃ looks something like this:

In the above structure, you can see that the formal charges of all atoms are zero. Therefore, this is the stable Lewis structure of CHF₃.

And each horizontal line drawn in the above structure represents a pair of bonding valence electrons.

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Related

• Lewis structure of XeF₅⁺
• Lewis structure of ClBr₃
• Lewis structure of CH₃COO^–
• NO₂^– Lewis structure
• Lewis structure of SnCl₂

External links

• CHF3 Lewis Structure, Geometry, Hybridization, and Polarity – Techiescientist
• CHF3 Lewis Structure (Fluoroform) – Pinterest
• CHF3 Lewis structure, molecular geometry, hybridization, bond angle – Topblogtenz
• CHF3 Lewis Structure in 6 Steps (With Images) – Pediabay
• How to draw CHF3 Lewis Structure? – Science Education and Tutorials
• Is CHF3 Polar or Nonpolar: Fluoroform Polarity – Geometry of Molecules
• how to do the lewis diagram of CHF3 – Brainly
• How is the Lewis structure for CH3F determined? – Quora
• Trifluoromethane | CHF3 | CID 6373 – National Institutes of Health (.gov)
• CHF3 (Fluoroform) Oxidation Number – ChemicalAid