Acetonitrile, with the chemical formula C2H3N, is a simple organic molecule commonly used as a solvent. To draw its Lewis structure, we first need to count the total number of valence electrons in the molecule:
- Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons. With two carbon atoms, that totals 8 electrons.
- Hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron. With three hydrogen atoms, that totals 3 electrons.
- Nitrogen (N) has 5 valence electrons.
Adding these together gives us:
8 (from C) + 3 (from H) + 5 (from N) = 16 valence electrons.
Next, we can start building the structure. The central framework consists of two carbon atoms connected by a single bond, and one of them is triple-bonded to the nitrogen atom. The other carbon atom is attached to three hydrogen atoms:
H
|
H - C ≡ N
|
C
|
H
In this structure:
- Each carbon atom shares electrons, with the left carbon atom forming three single bonds with hydrogen and the right carbon atom forming a triple bond with nitrogen.
- This configuration satisfies the octet rule for both carbon and nitrogen, while hydrogen atoms only require two electrons to be stable.
Thus, the Lewis structure for acetonitrile accurately represents the distribution of electrons within the molecule, demonstrating how atoms are bonded and fulfilling their corresponding valence requirements.