3.41 c [ENDORSED]
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3.41 c
Hello, I am confused about the placement of the right most oxygen and hydrogen. Why does the book come to the conclusion it does? (The question is to complete the lewis structure for H2C(NH2)COOH)
Thanks!
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Re: 3.41 c [ENDORSED]
those are the same thing, it doesn't really matter whether you put the line connecting to the oxygen below or to the side because its still between the C and H
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Re: 3.41 c
Those two are technically the same because you are still representing all electrons, just in different places. Both answers are correct, hope this helps!
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Re: 3.41 c
My question for this problem is more related to how to choose which atom is the central atom. At first, I made my structure with NH2 as the center atom, with CH2 and COOH on either side. However, the answer in the textbook has CH2 as the center atom. Why is this? Does it have to do with the formal charges?
For a future problem like this one, how might I decide better which atom to put in the center, especially with more complex molecules?
For a future problem like this one, how might I decide better which atom to put in the center, especially with more complex molecules?
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- Posts: 39
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Re: 3.41 c
Jacy Black 1C wrote:My question for this problem is more related to how to choose which atom is the central atom. At first, I made my structure with NH2 as the center atom, with CH2 and COOH on either side. However, the answer in the textbook has CH2 as the center atom. Why is this? Does it have to do with the formal charges?
For a future problem like this one, how might I decide better which atom to put in the center, especially with more complex molecules?
For the most part, the least electronegative atom goes in the center so I knew that I wanted carbon to be the center of structure. Plus, I knew it would be helpful to have carbon in the center because I could easily full-fill its octet with 4 single bonds. But yes, I believe if you calculated the formal charge of the structure centered around NH2 you would find that it has a less favorable charge than the formal charge of the structure centered around CH2.
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