1

Lewis Structures of
Lewis Structures of
Compounds
Compounds

2
In writing Lewis structures, the
most important consideration for
forming a stable compound is
that the atoms attain a noble
gas confguration.
3

The most difcult part of writing

Lewis structures is determining the
arrangement of the atoms in a
molecule or an ion.

In simple molecules with more

than two atoms, one atom will
be the central atom
surrounded b the other
atoms.
!
Cl
2
O has two possible
arrangements.
Cl-Cl-O
The two chlorines can be bonded to
each other.
Cl-O-Cl
The two chlorines can be bonded to
o"gen.
Usually the single atom will be the central atom.
#
$rocedures for %riting
Lewis &tructures
'
Atom Group Valence Electrons
Cl VIIA 7
H IA 1
C IVA 4
N VA 5
S VIA 6
P VA 5
I VIIA 7
(alence )lectrons of *roup +
)lements
,
Step 1 -btain the total number of
.alence electrons to be used in the
structure b adding the number of
.alence electrons in all the atoms in the
molecule or ion.
/
If ou are writing the structure of
an ion, add one electron for each
negati.e charge or subtract one
electron for each positi.e charge
on the ion.
0
&tep 1. The total number of .alence
electrons is eight, two from the two
hdrogen atoms and si" from the
o"gen atom.
%rite the Lewis structure for 1
2
-.
2
Step 2. %rite the s3eletal arrangement of
the atoms and connect them with a single
co.alent bond 4two dots or one dash5.
/
1drogen, which contains onl one
bonding electron, can form onl
one co.alent bond.
/
-"gen atoms normall ha.e a
ma"imum of two co.alent bonds
4two single bonds, or one double
bond5.
16
&tep 2. The two hdrogen atoms are
connected to the o"gen atom. %rite
the s3eletal structure7
%rite the Lewis structure for 1
2
-.
$lace two dots between the hdrogen
and o"gen atoms to form the
co.alent bonds.
H O H
o
r
H O
H
7
7
7 7
11
Step 3. &ubtract two electrons for
each single bond ou used in &tep 2
from the total number of electrons
calculated in &tep 1.
/
This gi.es ou the net number of
electrons a.ailable for completing
the structure.
12
&tep 3. &ubtract the four electrons
used in &tep 2 from eight to obtain
four electrons et to be used.
%rite the Lewis structure for 1
2
-.
H O H
7 7
13
Step 4. 8istribute pairs of electrons
4pairs of dots5 around each atom
4e"cept hdrogen5 to gi.e each atom
a noble gas confguration.
1!
&tep !. 8istribute the four remaining
electrons in pairs around the o"gen
atom. 1drogen atoms cannot
accommodate an more electrons.
%rite the Lewis structure for 1
2
-.
These arrangements are Lewis
structures because each atom has a
noble gas electron structure.
H O H
o
r
H O
H
7
7
7 7 7
77
7
The shape of the molecule is not
shown b the Lewis structure.
1#
&tep 1. The total number of .alence
electrons is 1', four from the 9 atom
and si" from each - atom.
%rite a Lewis structure for 9-
2
.
1'
&tep 2. The two - atoms are bonded
to a central 9 atom. %rite the s3eletal
structure and place two electrons
between the 9 and each o"gen.
O C O
7 7
%rite a Lewis structure for 9-
2
.
1,
%rite a Lewis structure for 9-
2
.
&tep 3. &ubtract the four electrons
used in &tep 2 from 1' 4the total
number of .alence electrons5 to
obtain 12 electrons et to be used.
O C O
7 7
10
O C O
7 7
&tep !. 8istribute the 12 electrons
4' pairs5 around the carbon and
o"gen atoms. Three possibilities
e"ist.
:an of the atoms in these structures
do not ha.e eight electrons around
them.
%rite a Lewis structure for 9-
2
.
O C O
7 7
O C O
7 7 7 7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
4
electrons
6
electrons
6
electrons
6
electrons
7
7
7
7
7
7
6
electrons
I II III
12
%rite a Lewis structure for 9-
2
.
O C O
7 7 7 7
7
7
7
7
&tep #. ;emo.e one pair of unbonded
electrons from each - atom in
structure I and place one pair
between each - and the 9 atom
forming two double bonds.
O C O
7
7
7 7
7
7
O C O
7
7
7
7 7 7
7
7
7 7
Each atom now has 8
electrons around it.
Carbon is sharing 4
electron airs.
double bond double bond