Chapter 6.4, Problem 6PPB

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The best choice for the Lewis structure of ${\text{NCl}}_{\text{2}}{}^{-}$ should be drawn.

Concept Introduction

• A formal charge (FC) is the charge assigned to an atom in a molecule, irrespective of relative electronegativity by thinking that electrons in all chemical bonds are shared equally among atoms.
• This method is used to identify the most probable Lewis structures if more than one possibility exists for a compound.
• Formal charge of an atom can be determined by the given formula.

$\text{Formal}\text{charge}\left(\text{F}\text{C}\right)\text{=}\left(\begin{array}{l}\text{no}\text{.of}\text{valence}\\ \text{electron}\text{in}\text{atom}\end{array}\right)-\frac{\text{1}}{\text{2}}\left(\begin{array}{l}\text{no}\text{.of}\text{bonding}\\ \text{electrons}\end{array}\right)-\left(\begin{array}{l}\text{no}\text{.of}\text{non-bonding}\\ \text{electrons}\end{array}\right)$

To determine: the best choice for the Lewis structure of ${\text{NCl}}_{\text{2}}{}^{-}$