Section 3: Molecular Structures

Structural formulas show the relative positions of atoms within

a molecule.
Essential Questions
• What are the basic steps used to draw Lewis structures?
• Why does resonance occur, and what are some
resonance structures?
• Which molecules are exceptions to the octet rule, and
why do these exceptions occur?
Vocabulary
• structural formula
• resonance
• coordinate covalent
bond
Structural Formulas
• A structural formula uses letter symbols and bonds to show
relative positions of atoms.

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Structural Formulas
• Drawing Lewis Structures
– Predict the location of certain atoms. The atom that has the
least attraction for shared electrons will be the central atom in
the molecule (usually, the one closer to the left side of the
periodic table). All other atoms become terminal atoms. Note:
Hydrogen is always a terminal atom.
– Determine the number of electrons available for bonding. The
number of valence electrons.
– Determine the number of bonding pairs. Divide the number of
electrons available for bonding by two.

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Structural Formulas
– Place the bonding pairs. Place a single bond between the central
atoms and each of the terminal atoms.
– Determine the number of bonding pairs remaining. Subtract the
number of bonding pairs in step 4 from the number of bonding
pairs in step 3. Place lone pairs around terminal atoms, except
hydrogen, to satisfy the octet rule. Any remaining pairs will be
assigned to the central atom.
– Determine whether the central atom satisfies the octet rule. If
not, convert one or two of the lone pairs on the terminal atoms
into a double bond or a triple bond between the terminal atom
and the central atom. Remember: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen
and sulfur often form double and triple bonds.

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Structural Formulas
• Atoms within a polyatomic ion are covalently
bonded.
• The procedure for drawing Lewis structures is
similar to drawing them for covalent compounds.
• The difference is, you need to determine the
number of electrons available for bonding. Find the
number of electrons available in the atoms present
and then subtract the ion charge if the ion is
positive or add the ion charge if the ion is negative.

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LEWIS STRUCTURE FOR A COVALENT COMPOUND WITH SINGLE BONDS

Use with Example Problem 3.

Problem
Ammonia is a raw material used in the manufacture of many products,
including fertilizers, cleaning products, and explosives. Draw the Lewis
structure for ammonia (NH3).
1- Find the total number of valence electrons available for bonding.

There are 8 valence electrons available for bonding.

2- Determine the total number of bonding pairs. To do this, divide the

number of available electrons by two.
= 4 pairs
Four pairs of electrons are available for bonding.
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
3 - Place a bonding pair (a single 5- The remaining pair—a lone
bond) between the central nitrogen pair—must be added to either
atom and each terminal hydrogen the terminal atoms or the central
atom. atom. Because hydrogen atoms
can have only one bond, they
have no lone pairs.
• Place the remaining lone pair
on the central nitrogen atom.

4 - Determine the number of

bonding pairs remaining.
• Subtract the number of pairs used
in these bonds from the total
number of pairs of electrons
available.
4 pairs total − 3 pairs used = 1 pair
available
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p.255
LEWIS STRUCTURE FOR A COVALENT COMPOUND WITH MULTIPLE BONDS
Problem 4
Carbon dioxide is a product of
all cellular respiration. Draw the
Lewis structure for carbon
dioxide (CO2).
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Find the total number of valence electrons available for bonding.

There are 16 valence electrons available for bonding.

• Determine the total number of bonding pairs by dividing the number of available
electrons by two.
= 8 pairs
Eight pairs of electrons are available for bonding.

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LEWIS STRUCTURE FOR A COVALENT COMPOUND WITH
MULTIPLE BONDS Determine the number of electron pairs
remaining.
• Subtract the lone pairs from the
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
pairs available.
• Place a bonding pair (a single bond)
between the central carbon atom 6 pairs available − 6 pairs used = 0
and each terminal oxygen atom. pairs available
Examine the incomplete structure
above (showing the placement of the
Determine the number of electron pairs lone pairs). Note that the carbon atom
remaining. Subtract the number of pairs does not have an octet and that there
used in these bonds from the total are no more electron pairs available. To
number of pairs of electrons available. give the carbon atom an octet, the
• Subtract the number of pairs used in molecule must form double bonds.
these bonds from the total number of • Use a lone pair from each O atom to
pairs of electrons available. form a double bond with the C atom.
8 pairs total − 2 pairs used = 6 pairs
available EVALUATE THE ANSWER
• Add three lone pairs to each terminal Both carbon and oxygen now have
oxygen atom. an octet, which satisfies the octet
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p.256
Lewis Structure for a Polyatomic Ion
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Use with Example Problem 5. Find the total number of valence
Problem electrons available for bonding.
Draw the correct Lewis structure for
the polyatomic ion phosphate • Determine the total number of
(PO43-). bonding pairs.
Response = 16 pairs
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM • Draw single bonds from each
You are given that the phosphate ion terminal oxygen atom to the central
consists of one phosphorus atom and phosphorus atom.
four oxygen atoms and has a charge of
3-. Because phosphorus has less
attraction for shared electrons than
oxygen, phosphorus is the central atom
and the four oxygen atoms are terminal
atoms.

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Lewis Structure for a Polyatomic Ion

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN EVALUATE THE ANSWER

All of the atoms have an octet,
• Subtract the number of pairs used from
and the group has a net charge
the total number of pairs of electrons
of 3-.
available.
16 pairs total − 4 pairs used = 12 pairs
available
Add three lone pairs to each terminal
oxygen atom. 12 pairs available − 12 lone
pairs used = 0.
• Subtracting the lone pairs used from the
pairs available verifies that there are no
electron pairs available for the
phosphorus atom. The Lewis structure for
the phosphate ion is shown.

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p.257
Resonance Structures
• Resonance is a condition that occurs when more than one valid
Lewis structure can be written for a molecule or ion.
• This figure shows three correct ways to draw the structure for (NO3)-
1
.

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Resonance Structures
• Two or more correct Lewis
structures that represent a
single ion or molecule are
referred to as resonance
structures.
• The molecule behaves as
though it has only one
structure.
• The bond lengths are
identical to each other and
intermediate between
single and double covalent
bonds.

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p.258
Exceptions to the Octet Rule
• Some molecules do not obey the octet rule.
• A small group of molecules might have an odd number of valence
electrons.
• NO2 has five valence electrons from nitrogen and 12 from oxygen and
cannot form an exact number of electron pairs.

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Exceptions to the Octet Rule
• A few compounds form stable configurations with less than 8
electrons around the atom—a suboctet.
• A coordinate covalent bond forms when one atom donates both of
the electrons to be shared with an atom or ion that needs two
electrons.

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Exceptions to the Octet Rule
• A third group of compounds has central atoms with more than eight
valence electrons, called an expanded octet.
• Elements in period 3 or higher have a d-orbital and can form more
than four covalent bonds.

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resonance structures and exceptions to the octet rule.

_________ 1.Odd number of valence electrons ClO2 - NO - NO2

_________ 2. Fewer than 8 electrons around an atom BF3 - BH3

_________3. More than 8 electrons around central atom SF6 - PCl5

_________4. More than one valid Lewis structure O3 - NO2- - SO2

• Summarize three reasons why some molecules do not conform to the
octet rule.
• the molecule has an odd number of valence electrons; the molecule is
stable with less than eight valence electrons; the molecule is stable with
more than eight valence electrons (expanded octet)

50.State the steps used to draw Lewis structures.

determine central atom and terminal atoms; determine number of bonding

electrons; determine bonding pairs; connect terminal atoms to the central
atom with single bonds; determine remaining number of bonding pairs;
apply octet rule and form double or triple bonds if needed

51.Summarize exceptions to the octet rule by correctly pairing these

molecules and phrases: odd number of valence electrons, PCl 5, ClO2, BH3,
expanded octet, less than an octet.

expanded octet, PCl5;

odd number of valence electrons, ClO2;
less than an octet, BH3
• Draw the resonance structures for the
dinitrogen oxide (N2O) molecule.
Review
Essential Questions
• What are the basic steps used to draw Lewis structures?
• Why does resonance occur, and what are some resonance
structures?
• Which molecules are exceptions to the octet rule, and why do
these exceptions occur?
Vocabulary
• structural formula • resonance • coordinate covalent
bond

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