I want to know why the formula of mercurous chloride is Hg₂Cl₂ and why can't it be written as HgCl (simple ratio) ?

Dear BHANU,

 Mercury (I) chloride also known as Mercurous chloride or calomel has been used for centuries and is a well known compound.

Crystallographic studies on the compound show that in the crystalline form it has the following structure:

Cl-Hg-Hg-Cl

The is a Hg-Hg bond, making the compound a dimer, hence the Hg2Cl2 formula.

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This is because in the natural state is formed as Hg₂Cl_2. There is some intermolecular forces which keep the two molecules together. This is similar to the case of Aluminium Chloride. In nature it is found as Al₂Cl_6. But in theory it is also written as AlCl₃. So, as far as theory is concerned it doesn't really matter how you write but it is prefered to write as Hg₂Cl_2.

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this is a quite different case.

here there is metallic bonding between two Hg atoms.

it is bonded as   ( Hg⁺--Hg⁺). thus on whole used as  ne single molecule  Hg₂²⁺

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