Dichlorine pentoxide (Cl2O5) Molecule Lewis Structure

Dichlorine pentoxide (Cl2O5) contains two chlorine and five oxygen atoms. In the lewis structure of Cl2O5 molecule there are three Cl=O bonds. One chlorine atom is located as a center atom and other chlorine atom is located in a side of the molecule.


Cl2O5 lewis structure

Cl2O5 dichlorine pentoxide lewis structure

There are following specifications in the lewis structure of Cl2O5.

  • One chlorine atom has made bonds with four oxygen atoms and from that four bonds, three bonds are double bonds. Remaining one is a single bond.
  • Other chlorine atom has only one single bond and it is formed with an oxygen atom.
  • There is a -O-O-Cl bonding.
  • When considering oxidation numbers, one chlorine atom is at +7 oxidation state and other chlorine atom is at +1 oxidation state.


Steps of drawing lewis structure of Cl2O5 molecule

Several guidelines (several steps) are given for students 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 Cl2O5 because there are seven elements in that molecule and it is bit complex molecule too. However, those all steps are mentioned and explained in detail in this tutorial to improve your knowledge.

  1. Find total number of electrons of the valance shells of chlorine and oxygen atoms
  2. Determine total electrons pairs existing as lone pairs and bonds
  3. Center atom selection
  4. Mark lone pairs on atoms
  5. Mark charges on atoms if there are charges.
  6. 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 Cl2O5 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 chlorine and oxygen atoms.


  • valence electrons given by chlorine atoms = 7 * 2 = 14
  • valence electrons given by oxygen atoms = 6 * 5 = 30

  • Total valence electrons = 44

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, Cl2O5 molecule, Total pairs of electrons are twenty two in their valence shells.



Center atom of Cl2O3 molecule

Because, there are seven 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.

Cl2O5 basic sketch

Lone pairs on atoms

After determining the center atom and sketch of Cl2O5 molecule, we can start to mark lone pairs on atoms. Remember that, there should be total of twenty two electron pairs as lone pairs and bonds.

  • There are already six bonds in the above drawn sketch. So, there are sixteen remaining lone pairs to mark on chlorine and oxygen atoms.
  • First, mark remaining lone pairs on outside atoms. Each outside three oxygen atoms and outside chlorine atoms will take three lone pairs. So, twelve electron pairs are marked in those three outside atoms.
  • Now, three are more four (16-12) electron pairs are remaining to mark on other atoms.
  • Then, each two center oxygen atoms will take two lone pairs. Then all remaining lone pairs are marked on atoms and no more lone pairs to mark on center chlorine atoms.
mark lone pairs on atoms in Cl2O5

Mark charges on atoms

There are charges on three oxygen atoms and center chlorine atom as following figure.

mark charges on chlorine and oxygen atoms in Cl2O5

Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds

There are charges on center chlorine atom and three oxygen atoms. Also having a large charge like +3 on chlorine atom will make the structure very 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.

reduce charges on chlorine and oxygen atoms in dichlorine pentaoxide

In the above structure, there are no charges on chlorine and oxygen atoms. Therefore, we can think, we have obtained the lewis structure of Cl2O5


Questions






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