Dichlorine trioxide (Cl2O3) Molecule Lewis Structure
Dichlorine trioxide (Cl2O3) contains two chlorine and three oxygen atoms. In the lewis structure of Cl2O3 molecule there are two Cl=O bonds. Chlorine atoms are by an oxygen atom.
Cl2O3 lewis structure
There are following specifications in the lewis structure of Cl2O3.
- One chlorine atom has made bonds with three oxygen atoms and from that three, two bonds double bonds. Remaining one is a single bond.
- Other chlorine atom has only one single bond with an oxygen atom.
- Both chlorine atom has joint by an oxygen atom.
- When considering oxidation numbers, one chlorine atom is at +5 oxidation state and other chlorine atom is at +1 oxidation state.
Steps of drawing lewis structure of Cl2O3 molecule
Several guidelines (several steps) are provided to draw a lewis structure. Number of steps can be changed according the complexity of the molecule or ion. There are important things to consider drawing the lewis structure of Cl2O3 because there are five elements in that molecule. However, those all steps are mentioned and explained in detail in this tutorial for your knowledge.
- Find total number of electrons of the valance shells of chlorine and oxygen atoms
- Total electrons pairs existing as lone pairs and bonds
- Center atom selection
- Mark lone pairs on atoms
- Mark charges on atoms if there are charges.
- Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds to obtain best lewis structure.
Total number of electrons of the valance shells of Cl2O3 molecule
Chlorine is a group VIIA element in the periodic table and contains seven electrons in its last shell. Oxygen is a group VIA element in the periodic table and contains six electrons in its last shell. Now, we know how many electrons are there in valence shells of fluorine atoms.
- valence electrons given by chlorine atoms = 7 * 2 = 14
- valence electrons given by oxygen atoms = 6 * 3 = 18
- Total valence electrons = 32
Total valence electrons pairs
Total valance electrons pairs = σ bonds + π bonds + lone pairs at valence shells
Total electron pairs are determined by dividing the number total valence electrons by two. For, Cl2O3 molecule, Total pairs of electrons are sixteen in their valence shells.
Center atom of Cl2O3 molecule
Because, there are five elements, selection of center atom is bit complex. Because chlorine's maximum valence is higher than oxygen, chlorine becomes the center atom and sketch is shown below.
Lone pairs on atoms
After determining the center atom and sketch of Cl2O3 molecule, we can start to mark lone pairs on atoms. Remember that, there should be total of sixteen electron pairs as lone pairs and bonds.
- There are already four bonds in the above drawn sketch. So, there are twelve remaining lone pairs to mark on chlorine and oxygen atoms.
- First, mark remaining lone pairs on outside atoms. Each outside two oxygen atoms and outside chlorine atoms will take three lone pairs. So, nine electron pairs are marked in two oxygen atoms and one chlorine atoms.
- Now, one valence electron pair is remaining and it is marked on carbon atom. Still. three lone pairs are remaining to mark on center chlorine and oxygen atoms.
- Then, two lone pairs are marked on center oxygen atom and one lone pair marked on center oxygen atoms.
Mark charges on atoms
There are charges on two oxygen atoms and center chlorine atom as following figure.
Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds
Because, there are charges on center chlorine atom and two oxygen atoms. Also having a large charge like +2 on chlorine atom will make the structure unstable. Therefore, above structure is not stable and need to convert lone pairs on oxygen atoms to make double bonds with chlorine atom as below.
In the above structure, there are no charges on chlorine and oxygen atoms. Therefore, we can think, we have obtained the lewis structure of Cl2O3
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