SnCL2 is solid while SnCl4 is liquid

Question

anonymous · Answer

This is just a guess but i would assume that the reason that you find sncl2 as a solid while sncl4 is liquid is based on the percent compisition of each of the atoms forming the compound. with sncl2 you find that the mass of the tin atom being greater than the combined mass of the cl2 letting the physical properites of the tin show. So according to my assumition when we look at the sncl4 the mass of the cl4 is greater making the compound sncl4 be liquid. we know that cl2 is normaly a gass at room temp but it doesn't have enough pull when combined with the tin to have it be in a gass state.

aravindg · Answer

heena?

anonymous · Answer

This is because SnCl4 is more covalent due to higher oxidation state of +4 in Sn whereas SnCl2 is just Sn2+ and is more ionic. An ionic compound has higher melting and boiling point than covalent compound. Hence ionic SnCl2 is solid.