Why does LiCl does not follow octet rule?
Reasons why LiCl does not follow the octet rule:
Size of Li and Cl atoms:
The lithium atom is too small to accommodate a full octet of electrons around it. With only three electrons, it tends to lose one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration. Electronegativity difference:
Chlorine (Cl) is significantly more electronegative than lithium (Li). This large electronegativity difference causes lithium to readily donate its electron to chlorine, forming an ionic bond.Formation of ions:
In the formation of lithium chloride (LiCl), lithium loses its electron to chlorine, resulting in Li+ cation and Cl- anion. This transfer of electrons satisfies the octet rule for chlorine (which now has 8 electrons) but not for lithium.Stability of resulting ions:
The resulting lithium cation (Li+) has a stable electron configuration with a full valence shell containing only two electrons. This configuration makes the lithium ion stable, even though it does not have a complete octet.
In summary, LiCl does not follow the octet rule because of the size of lithium, the electronegativity difference between lithium and chlorine, the formation of ions, and the stability of the resulting ions.
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