Is BeCl2 Non-Polar or Polar?
BeCl2 is nonpolar. Beryllium chloride or BeCl2 has a linear electron geometry with no lone pairs, making it nonpolar because of its Lewis structure and VSEPR model.
BeCl2 is not an ion because the electronegativity difference between Cl and Be atoms are not sufficient to form an ionic bond. Beryllium’s two outer electrons form two covalent bonds with two chloride atoms, resulting in no lone pairs; this can be demonstrated when its Lewis structure is drawn. Each bonded angle is 180 degrees, making the BeCl2 structure linear with the symmetric charge distribution around beryllium. This is clearly seen when a 3-D molecular geometry using VSEPR rules are drawn. BeCl2, which has a boiling point of 482 degrees Celsius and a melting point of 399 C, is commonly used in beryllium ore refining processes.
