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Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding
Brown - Chemistry: The Central Science 14th Edition
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBrown 14th EditionCh.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical BondingProblem 108a
Chapter 8, Problem 108a

Trifluoroacetic acid has the chemical formula CF3CO2H. It is a colorless liquid that has a density of 1.489 g/mL (a) Trifluoroacetic acid contains one CF3 unit and is connected to the other C atom which bonds with both O’s. Draw the Lewis structure for trifluoroacetic acid.

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Identify the total number of valence electrons in trifluoroacetic acid (CF3CO2H). Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons, fluorine (F) has 7, oxygen (O) has 6, and hydrogen (H) has 1. Calculate the total by adding the valence electrons from each atom: 2 C atoms, 3 F atoms, 2 O atoms, and 1 H atom.
Determine the central atoms in the structure. In trifluoroacetic acid, the CF3 group is attached to a central carbon atom, which is also bonded to another carbon atom. This second carbon is bonded to two oxygen atoms and one hydrogen atom.
Draw the skeletal structure of the molecule. Place the CF3 group on one side, connected to a central carbon atom. This central carbon is then connected to another carbon atom, which is bonded to two oxygen atoms and one hydrogen atom.
Distribute the valence electrons around the atoms to satisfy the octet rule. Start by placing electrons between atoms to form bonds, then distribute remaining electrons to complete the octets of the outer atoms (fluorine and oxygen) first, and then the central atoms.
Check the formal charges on each atom to ensure the most stable structure. Adjust the placement of electrons if necessary to minimize formal charges, ensuring that the overall charge of the molecule is zero.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Lewis Structures

Lewis structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms in a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist. They help visualize the arrangement of electrons and the connectivity of atoms, allowing chemists to predict molecular geometry and reactivity. In the case of trifluoroacetic acid, drawing its Lewis structure involves placing the fluorine atoms and the carboxylic acid functional group correctly to reflect the molecule's actual bonding.
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Functional Groups

Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. In trifluoroacetic acid, the carboxylic acid group (-COOH) is a key functional group that influences its acidity and reactivity. Understanding functional groups is essential for predicting how a compound will behave in chemical reactions.

Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule. It is determined by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom, which affects the molecule's shape and properties. For trifluoroacetic acid, recognizing its geometry helps in understanding its polarity and interactions with other molecules.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Ammonia reacts with boron trifluoride to form a stable compound, as we saw in Section 8.7. (a) Draw the Lewis structure of the ammonia–boron trifluoride reaction product.
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Textbook Question

A common form of elemental phosphorus is the tetrahedral P4 molecule, where all four phosphorus atoms are equivalent: 

(b) How many P-P bonds are there in the molecule?

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Textbook Question

A common form of elemental phosphorus is the tetrahedral P4 molecule, where all four phosphorus atoms are equivalent: 

Draw a Lewis structure for a linear P4 molecule that satisfies the octet rule. Does this molecule have resonance structures?

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Textbook Question

Acetylene (C2H2) and nitrogen (N2) both contain a triple bond, but they differ greatly in their chemical properties. (e) Both N2 and C2H2 possess triple bonds with quite high bond enthalpies (Table 8.3). Calculate the enthalpy of hydrogenation per mole for both compounds: acetylene plus H2 to make methane, CH4; nitrogen plus H2 to make ammonia, NH3.

Textbook Question

Trifluoroacetic acid has the chemical formula CF3CO2H. It is a colorless liquid that has a density of 1.489 g/mL. (d) How many milliliters of a 0.500 M solution of NaOH would it take to neutralize 10.5 mL of trifluoroacetic acid?

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Textbook Question

Trifluoroacetic acid has the chemical formula CF3CO2H. It is a colorless liquid that has a density of 1.489 g/mL. (b) Trifluoroacetic acid can react with NaOH in aqueous solution to produce the trifluoroacetate ion, CF3COO2. Write the balanced chemical equation for this reaction.

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