What is the shape of SF2? Is it linear or bent?

The molecule SF2 stands for sulfur difluoride, consisting of one sulfur (S) atom bonded to two fluorine (F) atoms. To understand its shape, we use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, which predicts molecular geometry based on electron pair repulsions around the central atom.

In SF2, the central sulfur atom has six valence electrons. It forms two single bonds with fluorine atoms, using two pairs of electrons, leaving two lone pairs (nonbonding pairs) on sulfur. Thus, sulfur has four electron pairs surrounding it: two bonding and two lone pairs.

According to VSEPR theory, the electron geometry (considering both bonding and nonbonding pairs) is tetrahedral since four electron pairs repel each other to form a three-dimensional shape with maximum separation. However, the molecular shape (actual shape considering only bonded atoms) is different because lone pairs take up space and push bonded atoms closer.

The two lone pairs push the fluorine atoms closer together, resulting in a "bent" or "angular" shape, not linear. The bond angle is less than the ideal 109.5° of a perfect tetrahedron, typically around 98°. This bent shape is similar to the water molecule (H2O), which also has two lone pairs and two bonding pairs.

Therefore, SF2 is bent in shape and not linear. This shape also impacts its polarity, making SF2 a polar molecule due to the bent structure and difference in electronegativity between sulfur and fluorine.