Why can't aluminium chloride have one double and two single bonds?

Subject: Why can't aluminium chloride have one double and two single bonds?

Date: Fri Jul 1 02:06:56 2005
Posted by Andrew
Grade level: 10-12 School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 1120201616.Ch

Message:


I can draw a Lewis diagram for aluminium chloride with one double bond and two 
single bonds but the text book says that there are three single bonds and that 
the aluminium atom only has 6 electrons in its valence shell! It goes on to 
say that it can form a dimer but it does not explain why my structure with one 
double bond and two sinle bonds is wrong.

Re: Why can't aluminium chloride have one double and two single bonds?

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