Why don't we draw double bonds between the Be atom and the Cl atoms in BeCl2?     That would give positive formal charges to the chlorine atoms and a negative formal charge to the beryllium atom.     There aren't enough electrons.     That would result in more than eight electrons around beryllium.     That would result in more than eight electrons around each chlorine atom.     That would result in the formal charges not adding up to zero.

Chemistry & Chemical Reactivity
10th Edition
ISBN:9781337399074
Author:John C. Kotz, Paul M. Treichel, John Townsend, David Treichel
Publisher:John C. Kotz, Paul M. Treichel, John Townsend, David Treichel
Chapter8: Bonding And Molecular Structure
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 37PS: The chemistry of the nitrite ion and HNO2: (a) Two resonance structures are possible for NO2. Draw...
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Why don't we draw double bonds between the Be atom and the Cl atoms in BeCl2?

   

That would give positive formal charges to the chlorine atoms and a negative formal charge to the beryllium atom.

   

There aren't enough electrons.

   

That would result in more than eight electrons around beryllium.

   

That would result in more than eight electrons around each chlorine atom.

   

That would result in the formal charges not adding up to zero.

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