C₂O₄^2- (Oxalate ion) Resonance Structures

Resonance structures of oxalate ion (C₂O₄^2-) ion can be drawn by using lewis structure of oxalate ion. four stable resonance structures can be drawn for C₂O₄^2- resonance structures. These structures are used for to construct resonance hybrid of C₂O₄^2-.

Lewis structure of oxalate ion (C₂O₄^2-)

Lewis structure of C₂O₄^2- ion is important because it is required to draw resonance structures of oxalate ion. This means, first you have to draw the lewis structure of C₂O₄^2- before drawing the resonance structures.

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Resonance structures of C₂O₄^2- ion

Let's draw four stable four resonance structures for the C₂O₄^2- ion. When you draw, resonance structures, locations of atoms should not be changed. You should only change lone pairs on atoms and bonds between atoms. Study how lone pairs and bonds are changed in following resonance structures of C₂O₄^2- ion.

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Lone pairs, charges and bonds of C₂O₄^2- ion

You may see, overall charge of all structures are -2.

Oxygen atoms love to keep negative charges than carbon atoms does because electronegativity of oxygen atom is greater than carbon atoms.

When we draw resonance structures, we should convert lone pairs to bonds and bonds to lone pairs when it is possible. But, when we do this, you should be careful to protect stability of ion and octal rule (only applicable for 1^st and 2^nd periods).

In lewis structure of C₂O₄^2- ion, there are three lone pairs (in the last shell) in two oxygen atoms. Also, those oxygen atoms have a -1 charge on each atoms.

There are two another oxygen atoms. Those two oxygen atoms are connected to the carbon atoms by a double bond has two lone pairs in its last shell. Also, there are no charges in those oxygen atom.

On carbon atoms, there are no lone pairs or charges.

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