Draw the dominant Lewis structures for these chlorine–oxygen molecules/ions: ClO, ClO^-, ClO₂^-, ClO₃^-, ClO₄^-. Which of these do not obey the octet rule?

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Identify the total number of valence electrons for each molecule/ion. For chlorine (Cl), it has 7 valence electrons, and for oxygen (O), it has 6 valence electrons. Consider any additional electrons due to negative charges.

Step 2: For each molecule/ion, arrange the atoms with chlorine as the central atom and connect the oxygen atoms to chlorine using single bonds initially.

Step 3: Distribute the remaining valence electrons to satisfy the octet rule for the oxygen atoms first, then place any remaining electrons on the chlorine atom.

Step 4: If the central chlorine atom does not have a complete octet, consider forming double bonds with oxygen atoms by converting lone pairs on oxygen to bonding pairs.

Step 5: Evaluate each structure to determine if the octet rule is obeyed. Note that molecules/ions with an odd number of electrons or those with expanded octets (like ClO₄^-) may not strictly follow the octet rule.

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 use dots to represent valence electrons and lines to represent bonds between atoms. Understanding how to draw Lewis structures is essential for visualizing molecular geometry and predicting the behavior of molecules.

Octet Rule

The octet rule is a chemical rule of thumb that states atoms tend to bond in such a way that they each have eight electrons in their valence shell, achieving a stable electron configuration similar to that of noble gases. While this rule applies to many main-group elements, there are exceptions, particularly for elements in the third period and beyond, which can expand their octet.

Formal Charge

Formal charge is a concept used to determine the distribution of electrons in a molecule and to assess the stability of different Lewis structures. It is calculated by taking the number of valence electrons in an atom, subtracting the number of non-bonding electrons, and half the number of bonding electrons. Structures with the lowest formal charges on atoms are generally more stable and preferred.

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Formal Charge

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Mothballs are composed of naphthalene, C₁₀H₈, a molecule that consists of two six-membered rings of carbon fused along an edge, as shown in this incomplete Lewis structure:

(c) Not all of the C—C bond lengths in naphthalene are equivalent. Based on your resonance structures, how many C—C bonds in the molecule do you expect to be shorter than the others?

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Textbook Question

(a) Which of these compounds is an exception to the octet rule: carbon dioxide, water, ammonia, phosphorus trifluoride, or arsenic pentafluoride?

Textbook Question

(b) Which of these compounds or ions is an exception to the octet rule: borohydride (BH4-), borazine (B3N3H6, which is analogous to benzene with alternating B and N in the ring), or boron trichloride?

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Textbook Question

For Group 13–17 elements in the third row of the periodic tableand beyond, the octet rule is often not obeyed. A friendof yours says this is because these heavier elements are morelikely to make double or triple bonds. Another friend ofyours says that this is because the heavier elements are largerand can make bonds to more than four atoms at a time.Which friend is more correct?

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Textbook Question

Draw the Lewis structures for each of the following molecules or ions. Identify instances where the octet rule is not obeyed; state which atom in each compound does not follow the octet rule; and state how many electrons surround these atoms: (a) PF₆^-, (b) BeCl₂, (c) NH₃, (d) XeF₂O (the Xe is the central atom), (e) SO₄^2- .

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Draw the dominant Lewis structures for these chlorine–oxygen molecules/ions: ClO, ClO-, ClO2-, ClO3-, ClO4-. Which of these do not obey the octet rule?

Key Concepts

Lewis Structures

Octet Rule

Formal Charge

Draw the dominant Lewis structures for these chlorine–oxygen molecules/ions: ClO, ClO^-, ClO₂^-, ClO₃^-, ClO₄^-. Which of these do not obey the octet rule?