Carbon tetrachloride is formed when one carbon atom shares its four valence electrons with four chloride ions to achieve stable electron configurations. Each chloride ion contributes one electron to be shared, and the carbon atom contributes four electrons. This sharing of electrons forms four single covalent bonds between the carbon atom and the chloride ions, creating the CCl4 molecule with a stable Lewis structure.

2. CCL4
CARBON
TETRACHLORIDE
COVALENT
BOND

3. *

4. *

5. *
• A carbon atom has an electron arrangement of 2.4.
It has 4 valance electrons.
• Each carbon atom needs 4 more electrons to
achieve a stable octet electron arrangement.
• A chloride ion has an electron arrangement 2.8.7. It
has 7 valance electrons.
• Each chloride ion needs 1 more electron to achieve
a stable octet electron arrangement.
• 4 chloride ions will combine with 1 carbon atom
through the sharing of electrons. Each of 4 chloride
ions contributes 1 electron and 1 carbon atom
contributes 4 electrons for sharing.

6. F
O
R
M
A
T
I
O
N
O
F
A
C
A
R
B
O
N
T
E
T
R
A
C
H
L
O
R
I
D
E

7. • One carbon atom is bonded to each of 4 chlorine
atoms by a shared pair of electrons so that all the
five atoms achieve stable octet electron
arrangement.
• Hence, a covalent molecule, CCl4, with 4 single
covalent bonds is formed.
LEWIS STRUCTURE
OF CCL4