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Lewis Structures

The document outlines the steps for writing Lewis structures, which include calculating total valence electrons, adjusting for charges, constructing a skeletal structure, and ensuring each atom achieves an octet. It provides examples for carbon monoxide and the nitrite ion, illustrating the process of determining bonds and lone pairs. The key principle is that each bonded atom should have an octet of electrons.

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Ajith Mohamed
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36 views4 pages

Lewis Structures

The document outlines the steps for writing Lewis structures, which include calculating total valence electrons, adjusting for charges, constructing a skeletal structure, and ensuring each atom achieves an octet. It provides examples for carbon monoxide and the nitrite ion, illustrating the process of determining bonds and lone pairs. The key principle is that each bonded atom should have an octet of electrons.

Uploaded by

Ajith Mohamed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chemical Bonds

Lewis Structures
Lewis Structures
Writing Lewis Structures
The following steps outline the method for writing Lewis dot structures, also
known as Lewis structures:
● Step 1: Calculate the total number of valence electrons available for the
structure by adding the valence electrons of the atoms involved. For
example, in a methane (CH4) molecule, there are 8 valence electrons in
total: 4 from the carbon atom and 4 from the four hydrogen atoms.
● Step 2: Adjust the total number of valence electrons for any charges: add
one electron for each negative charge (anions), and subtract one electron
for each positive charge (cations).
● Step 3: Construct a skeletal structure of the compound using chemical
symbols and distribute the total number of electrons as shared pairs
(bonds) between the atoms, aligning with the number of required bonds.
● Step 4: The least electronegative atom typically occupies the central
position in the molecule, except for hydrogen and fluorine, which usually
occupy terminal positions.
● Step 5: After establishing single bonds, use the remaining electron pairs
to form multiple bonds if necessary or to serve as lone pairs, ensuring
that each bonded atom achieves an octet of electrons.
The basic requirement is that each bonded atom gets an octet of electrons.

Example 1: Lewis formula for carbon monoxide, CO.

● Step 1: Counting the total number of valence electrons of carbon and


oxygen atoms: C (2s22p2) + O (2s22p4) 4 + 6 = 10 that is, 4(C) + 6(O) = 10
● Step 2: The skeletal structure of carbon monoxide is written as CO.
● Step 3: Drawing a single bond between C and O and a complete octet on
O, the remaining two electrons are lone pairs on C.
Step 4: This does not complete the octet of carbon, and hence, we have a triple
bond.

Example 2: Lewis Structure of nitrite, NO2–

● Step 1: Count the total number of valence electrons of one nitrogen atom,
two oxygen atoms and the additional one negative charge (equal to one
electron). Total number of valence electrons is N (2s22p3) + 2O (2s22p4) + 1
(negative charge) => 5+ 2(6) +1=18e–
● Step 2: The skeletal structure of nitrite ion is written as O-N-O
● Step 3: Drawing a single bond between nitrogen and each oxygen atom O
–N–O
● Step 4: Complete the octets of atoms.

This structure does not complete octet on N, if the remaining two electrons
constitute a lone pair on it. Therefore, we have a double bond between one N
and one of the two O atoms. The Lewis structure is

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