Draw resonance contributors for each of the following species and rank them in order of decreasing contribution to the resonance hybrid. Then draw the resonance hybrid. d.
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Identify the species in question and determine if it has resonance structures. Resonance occurs when there are delocalized electrons, such as lone pairs, π-bonds, or charges, that can be redistributed across the molecule.
Draw all possible resonance contributors for the species. To do this, move electrons (using curved arrows) while ensuring that the octet rule is satisfied for second-row elements and that formal charges are minimized. Use MathML to represent the structures if needed.
Evaluate the stability of each resonance contributor. Contributors with a full octet on all atoms, minimal formal charges, and negative charges on more electronegative atoms are more stable and contribute more to the resonance hybrid.
Rank the resonance contributors in order of decreasing contribution to the resonance hybrid based on their stability. The most stable contributor will have the highest contribution, while less stable contributors will contribute less.
Draw the resonance hybrid by combining the resonance contributors. Use dashed lines to represent delocalized π-bonds and partial charges to indicate the distribution of charge across the molecule.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Resonance Structures
Resonance structures are different Lewis structures for the same molecule that depict the same arrangement of atoms but differ in the placement of electrons. These structures help illustrate the delocalization of electrons within a molecule, which contributes to its stability and reactivity. The actual structure of the molecule is a resonance hybrid, a weighted average of all valid resonance forms.
The resonance hybrid is the actual structure of a molecule that is represented as a combination of its resonance contributors. It reflects the delocalization of electrons across the molecule, resulting in bond lengths and angles that are intermediate between those predicted by individual resonance structures. The hybrid is more stable than any single resonance contributor due to this electron delocalization.
The stability of resonance contributors is determined by factors such as the octet rule, charge distribution, and the presence of formal charges. Contributors that have full octets, minimal formal charges, and charge separation are generally more stable and thus make a greater contribution to the resonance hybrid. Ranking these contributors helps predict the most significant forms that influence the molecule's properties.