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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound Ph$_2$Br (diphenyl bromide)?
A
The bromine atom is bonded to two phenyl groups and has no lone pairs.
B
The bromine atom is bonded to two phenyl groups and has one lone pair.
C
The bromine atom is bonded to one phenyl group and has two lone pairs.
D
The bromine atom is bonded to two phenyl groups and has three lone pairs.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Identify the molecular formula and structure components. Ph$_2$Br (diphenyl bromide) consists of two phenyl groups (Ph) and one bromine (Br) atom. Each phenyl group is a benzene ring attached via a single bond to another atom or group.
Step 2: Determine the bonding preferences of bromine. Bromine is a halogen in Group 17 and typically forms only one single covalent bond because it has seven valence electrons and needs one more to complete its octet.
Step 3: Analyze the bonding in Ph$_2$Br. Since bromine can only form one bond, it can be bonded to only one phenyl group, not two. Therefore, the bromine atom is bonded to one phenyl group.
Step 4: Count the lone pairs on bromine. Bromine has seven valence electrons; one is used in bonding with the phenyl group, leaving six electrons as three lone pairs on bromine.
Step 5: Conclude the correct Lewis structure description. The bromine atom is bonded to one phenyl group and has three lone pairs, which satisfies the octet rule and the bonding preferences of bromine.