I have been given this question in my chemistry assignment. I have tried my best to understand it but I am unable to get how is this is the answer. Since the question was multiple choice, I guessed the asnwer and got it right. However, the answer doesn't make sense to me :(
The answer shown is this:
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: : : O - N = O : :
|In words, oxygen on the left has 3 lone pairs with one single bond with N. While, on the other hand, oxygen on the right has double bond with N. Also, N has 1 extra electron on its own on the top.
If I calculate the total number of valence electrons for this compound, its 6+6+5=17 electrons, where 12(6 each) are from oxygen and 5 are from nitrogen.
The thing that doesn't make sense to me in this diagram is that since nitrogen always obeys the octet rule, why is the total number for electrons for nitrogen in the diagram less than seven. Isn't that wrong? The total count of electrons for the compound is right though.
Any help would be deeply appreciated.
The answer shown is this:
.
: : : O - N = O : :
|In words, oxygen on the left has 3 lone pairs with one single bond with N. While, on the other hand, oxygen on the right has double bond with N. Also, N has 1 extra electron on its own on the top.
If I calculate the total number of valence electrons for this compound, its 6+6+5=17 electrons, where 12(6 each) are from oxygen and 5 are from nitrogen.
The thing that doesn't make sense to me in this diagram is that since nitrogen always obeys the octet rule, why is the total number for electrons for nitrogen in the diagram less than seven. Isn't that wrong? The total count of electrons for the compound is right though.
Any help would be deeply appreciated.
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The octet rule is kinda like one of those rules that was made to be broken- it's a good guideline, and because of the quantum numbers nitrogen can't have more than eight, but in this case nitrogen simply has a formal charge of +1, which is balanced by the -1 formal charge on the oxygen to make a neutral molecule.
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Ok, since I am a new yahoo answers user, I don't know how to "like" all the answers that people gave to my question. All I want to say is that both the answers helped me in understanding the questions. Thanx to both users: John Cain and Pisgahchemist!!
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Take a look: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/200…
and even http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/200…
NO2 has (5 + 2x6) or 17 valence electrons. The odd number of electrons means that it will be a free radical and that there will be one unpaired electrons. The likely spot for the unpaired electron will be on nitrogen since it is less electronegative than oxygen, although an argument can be made for placing the single electron on oxygen as shown in the second diagram.
It's simply not going to follow the octet rule. Read the rest of the post: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/200…
and even http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/200…
NO2 has (5 + 2x6) or 17 valence electrons. The odd number of electrons means that it will be a free radical and that there will be one unpaired electrons. The likely spot for the unpaired electron will be on nitrogen since it is less electronegative than oxygen, although an argument can be made for placing the single electron on oxygen as shown in the second diagram.
It's simply not going to follow the octet rule. Read the rest of the post: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/200…