Draw resonance structures for the bicarbonate ion, HCO3-. (a) Does HCO3- have the same number of resonance structures as the CO32- ion? Are any less likely than others? (b) What are the formal charges on the O and C atoms in HCO3- ? What is the average formal charge on the O atoms? Compare this with the O atoms in CO32- . (c) Protonation of HCO3- gives H2CO3. How do formal charges predict where the H+ ion will be attached?
Formal Charges
Formal charges have an important role in organic chemistry since this concept helps us to know whether an atom in a molecule is neutral/bears a positive or negative charge. Even if some molecules are neutral, the atoms within that molecule need not be neutral atoms.
Polarity Of Water
In simple chemical terms, polarity refers to the separation of charges in a chemical species leading into formation of two polar ends which are positively charged end and negatively charged end. Polarity in any molecule occurs due to the differences in the electronegativities of the bonded atoms. Water, as we all know has two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom. As oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen thus, there exists polarity in the bonds which is why water is known as a polar solvent.
Valence Bond Theory Vbt
Valence bond theory (VBT) in simple terms explains how individual atomic orbitals with an unpaired electron each, come close to each other and overlap to form a molecular orbital giving a covalent bond. It gives a quantum mechanical approach to the formation of covalent bonds with the help of wavefunctions using attractive and repulsive energies when two atoms are brought from infinity to their internuclear distance.
Draw resonance structures for the bicarbonate ion, HCO3-.
(a) Does HCO3- have the same number of resonance structures as the CO32- ion? Are any less likely than others?
(b) What are the formal charges on the O and C atoms in HCO3- ? What is the average formal charge on the O atoms? Compare this with the O atoms in CO32- .
(c) Protonation of HCO3- gives H2CO3. How do formal charges predict where the H+ ion will be attached?
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