hocl lewis structure
HOCl Lewis Structure
Answer:
To understand the Lewis structure of Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), follow these steps:
-
Determine the total number of valence electrons:
- Hydrogen (H): 1 valence electron
- Oxygen (O): 6 valence electrons
- Chlorine (Cl): 7 valence electrons
Total valence electrons = 1 + 6 + 7 = 14 valence electrons
-
Draw the skeletal structure:
- Place the least electronegative atom (Hydrogen) at one of the ends.
The skeletal structure will be:
[
\text{H-O-Cl}
] -
Place electrons around each atom to fulfill the octet rule (or duet for Hydrogen):
- Start by placing single bonds between the atoms:
[
H-O-Cl
]
Each single bond represents 2 electrons. We have used 4 electrons so far (2 for each bond).
Remaining electrons = 14 - 4 = 10 valence electrons
- Start by placing single bonds between the atoms:
-
Distribute the remaining electrons:
- Place the remaining electrons around the atoms to satisfy the octet rule for Oxygen and Chlorine and duet rule for Hydrogen.
Oxygen needs 8 valence electrons, so after placing the bonds, it needs 4 more:
[
\dots H - \dots O - Cl \dots
]Chlorine is already connected by a single bond (2 electrons), and needs 6 more:
[
\text{H} - \text{} - \text{
}\dots
]
This completes the distribution of all 14 valence electrons:H - \dots O - \dots Cl\dots \left(\text{Total Valence Electrons} = 14\right) \] 5. **Check formal charges (optional for further validation):** - Formal charges help to determine if we have the best Lewis structure: \[ \text{Formal charge} = \text{Valence electrons} - \left(\text{Non-bonding electrons} + \frac{1}{2}\text{Bonding electrons}\right) \] - For Hydrogen: $1 - (0 + 1) = 0$ - For Oxygen: $6 - (4 + 2) = 0$ - For Chlorine: $7 - (6 + 1) = 0$ 6. **Draw the final Lewis structure:** With formal charges all zero, the structure is stable:H - \dots O - \dots Cl\dots
**Final Answer:** The Lewis structure of Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is: \[ \text{H} - \text{O} - \text{Cl} \] where Oxygen (O) has two lone pairs, and Chlorine (Cl) has three lone pairs. This detailed explanation provides a step-by-step guide to understanding the electronic arrangement in the HOCl molecule.