Some chemists believe that satisfaction of the octet ruleshould be the top criterion for choosing the dominant Lewisstructure of a molecule or ion. Other chemists believe thatachieving the best formal charges should be the top criterion.Consider the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO4-, inwhich the H atoms are bonded to O atoms. (a) What is thepredicted dominant Lewis structure if satisfying the octetrule is the top criterion? (b) What is the predicted dominantLewis structure if achieving the best formal charges is the topcriterion?
Formal Charges
Formal charges have an important role in organic chemistry since this concept helps us to know whether an atom in a molecule is neutral/bears a positive or negative charge. Even if some molecules are neutral, the atoms within that molecule need not be neutral atoms.
Polarity Of Water
In simple chemical terms, polarity refers to the separation of charges in a chemical species leading into formation of two polar ends which are positively charged end and negatively charged end. Polarity in any molecule occurs due to the differences in the electronegativities of the bonded atoms. Water, as we all know has two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom. As oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen thus, there exists polarity in the bonds which is why water is known as a polar solvent.
Valence Bond Theory Vbt
Valence bond theory (VBT) in simple terms explains how individual atomic orbitals with an unpaired electron each, come close to each other and overlap to form a molecular orbital giving a covalent bond. It gives a quantum mechanical approach to the formation of covalent bonds with the help of wavefunctions using attractive and repulsive energies when two atoms are brought from infinity to their internuclear distance.
Some chemists believe that satisfaction of the octet rule
should be the top criterion for choosing the dominant Lewis
structure of a molecule or ion. Other chemists believe that
achieving the best formal charges should be the top criterion.
Consider the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO4
-, in
which the H atoms are bonded to O atoms. (a) What is the
predicted dominant Lewis structure if satisfying the octet
rule is the top criterion? (b) What is the predicted dominant
Lewis structure if achieving the best formal charges is the top
criterion?
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