What is the steric number of the central atom in carbon disulfide?

1 Answer
anor277
Jan 18, 2017

The steric number of the central atom in #CS_2# is #"2"#.

Explanation:

The steric number is the number of atoms attached to the central atom PLUS the number of lone pairs the central atom bears.

And given, #S=C=S#, in which the carbon atom has no lone pairs, the steric number is 2. The parameter is sometimes useful for #"VESPER"# determinations in which the number of electron pairs about the central atom, bonding AND non-bonding, determines molecular geometry.

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