CCl4 has carbon in the center with four C–Cl single bonds. Every chlorine carries three lone pairs, while carbon has no lone pairs and adopts tetrahedral geometry.
Four C–Cl bonds; three lone pairs on each chlorine
Total valence electrons32
Central atomCarbon
Molecular geometryTetrahedral
Bond angle109.5°
CCl4 Lewis structure overview
Carbon contributes four valence electrons and four chlorine atoms contribute twenty-eight, giving thirty-two total. Four C–Cl bonds use eight electrons, and the remaining twenty-four form three lone pairs on each chlorine.
How to draw the CCl4 Lewis structure
Count 32 valence electrons.
Add 4 from carbon and 7 from each chlorine.
Place carbon in the center.
Carbon is less electronegative and can form four bonds.
Draw four C–Cl single bonds.
The bonds use 8 electrons.
Complete chlorine octets.
Place three lone pairs on each chlorine, using the remaining 24 electrons.
Check carbon and charges.
Carbon has an octet through four bonds and every atom has formal charge zero.
Lone pairs and formal charges
The molecule contains twelve lone pairs in total, all on chlorine atoms. Carbon has no lone pairs. The four-single-bond structure gives formal charge zero on carbon and each chlorine.
Geometry and polarity
Four equivalent bonding domains give tetrahedral geometry. Each C–Cl bond is polar, but the symmetric tetrahedral arrangement cancels the four bond dipoles, making CCl4 nonpolar overall.
Common mistakes
Forgetting the three lone pairs on one or more chlorine atoms.
Adding a lone pair to carbon after all electrons are assigned.
Drawing the molecule as a flat square instead of a tetrahedron.
Calling CCl4 polar solely because each C–Cl bond is polar.
Frequently asked questions
How many lone pairs are on carbon?
Carbon has no lone pairs in CCl4.
Is CCl4 polar or nonpolar?
CCl4 is nonpolar overall because its four identical bond dipoles cancel in a symmetric tetrahedral geometry.
What is carbon's hybridization in CCl4?
Carbon is conventionally described as sp³ hybridized.