The Lewis formula for the ClO ion (hypochlorite ion) can be drawn by following these steps:
- Count the total number of valence electrons:
- Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons.
- Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons.
- Since the ClO ion has a negative charge, add 1 extra electron.
Total valence electrons = 7 (Cl) + 6 (O) + 1 (charge) = 14 electrons.
- Determine the central atom:
Chlorine is less electronegative than oxygen, so it will be the central atom.
- Draw the skeletal structure:
Place the chlorine atom in the center and the oxygen atom connected to it.
- Distribute the electrons:
- Place a single bond between Cl and O, using 2 electrons.
- Distribute the remaining 12 electrons as lone pairs around the atoms to satisfy the octet rule.
Oxygen will have 3 lone pairs (6 electrons), and chlorine will have 2 lone pairs (4 electrons).
- Check the formal charges:
- Formal charge on Cl = 7 – (2 + 4) = +1
- Formal charge on O = 6 – (2 + 6) = -1
The formal charges add up to the overall charge of the ion (-1), so the structure is correct.
Here is the Lewis structure for the ClO ion:
[Cl=O]⁻
In this structure, the chlorine atom is single-bonded to the oxygen atom, and both atoms have lone pairs to complete their octets.