[NewtoAtoms]

Hello Chemists,

Would someone be so kind to explain to me the geometry of ZnCl2.

When I first draw the Lewis dots for ZnCl2, I see that Zn is surrounded by 7 pairs of e-, two which are bonded to 2 Cl atoms, and then 5 which are lone pairs.

Can anyone explain to me why the geometric shape is linear???  Which according to my textbook is the correct answer.

Thank you for all your *delete me*

New to Chemistry!

[AWK]

Vsepr is onlyapplicable for elements of sp blocks. ZnCl2 is in some extend a ionic salt. In water it forms hydrated complex ion containing a different number of chloride anions (up to 4). Solid anhydrous ZnCl2 has 3 polymorphic forms - all of them show ZnCl4 tetrahedral arrangement around Zn atom.

[Valdorod]

This being the general chemistry forum and not the inorganic forum, you have to look at ZnCl₂ in general chemistry (freshman level) terms.

Zn has a full 3d-sub shell and 2 4s electrons.  For this problem, your textbook shows a linear structure because it ignores the d electrons.  Taking only the 2 4s electrons Zn has two dots each chlorine has 7 for a total of 16 electrons.  Zn has only two electron groups and as such it is linear.

 ..       ..
:Cl:Zn:Cl:    This makes it an AB2 structure which is linear.
 ..       ..

Valdo