Three nonequivalent resonance structures for the chlorate ion are shown here. Assign formal charges to all atoms in the resonance structures and identify the more likely resonance structure.

Question

[latex]\underset{A}{\left[\begin{matrix} :\overset{..}{\underset{|}{O}:} \ :\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}- \underset{..}{Cl}- \overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}: \end{matrix} ight]^{-} }\longleftrightarrow \underset{B}{\left[\begin{matrix} :\underset{||}{O}: \ :\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}-\underset{..}{Cl}=\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}} \end{matrix} ight]^{-} } \longleftrightarrow\underset{C}{ \left[\begin{matrix} :\underset{||}{O}: \ \overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}= \underset{..}{Cl}=\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}} \end{matrix} ight]^{-} } [/latex]

Accepted Answer

You are asked to use formal charge to identify the most likely resonance structure of those given for a polyatomic ion.
You are given three valid resonance structures.
Formal charges:

[latex]\overset{(-1)}{\underset{(-1)(+2)(-1)}{{\left[\begin{matrix} :\overset{..}{\underset{|}{O}:} \ :\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}- \underset{..}{Cl}- \overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}: \end{matrix} ight]^{-} }}} \longleftrightarrow \overset{(0)}{\underset{(-1)(0)(0)}{{\left[\begin{matrix} :\underset{||}{O}: \ :\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}-\underset{..}{Cl}=\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}} \end{matrix} ight]^{-} }}} \longleftrightarrow \overset{(0)}{\underset{(0)(-1)(0)}{{ \left[\begin{matrix} :\underset{||}{O}: \ \overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}}= \underset{..}{Cl}=\overset{..}{\underset{..}{O}} \end{matrix} ight]^{-} } }} [/latex]

Structure B is the most likely resonance structure. The formal charges in B are close to zero, and the highly electronegative oxygen atom carries a −1 formal charge. Structure A is unlikely because of the large positive formal charge on chlorine. Structure C is unlikely because the least electronegative element in the ion (chlorine) has a negative formal charge while the most electronegative element in the ion (oxygen) has a formal charge of zero.

Question 8.4.3: Three nonequivalent resonance structures for the chlorate io......

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