Chapter 10, Problem 10.26P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Resonance structure of phosgene gas with the lowest formal charges is to be identified.

Concept introduction:

When bonds in a molecule can be expressed by different Lewis structures then resonance structures are used to depict the bonding in that molecule. These resonances structure have the same placement of atoms but different locations of bonding and lone pairs of electrons also one resonance form can be converted into another by moving lone pairs to bonding positions, and vice versa.

Formula to calculate the formal charge of the atom is as follows:

  $\text{Formal}\text{charge}=\left(\begin{array}{l}\text{number}\text{of}\\ \text{valence}\\ \text{electrons}\end{array}\right)-\left(\left(\begin{array}{l}\text{number}\text{of}\\ \text{non-bonding}\\ \text{electrons}\end{array}\right)+\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)\left(\begin{array}{l}\text{number}\text{of}\\ \text{bonding}\\ \text{electrons}\end{array}\right)\right)$        (1)