Glycine Lewis Structure

[Isabel Nakoud 4D]

Homework Problem 3.41 in the 6th Edition textbook:

Lewis Structure of Glycine H₂C(NH₂)COOH ?

Can someone please walk me through the process of creating this complex lewis structure in an efficient and/or strategic manner?

[Chem_Mod]

The way the formula is written implies that the three "groups" you have to bond together are CH2, NH2, and COOH. Carbons like to have four bonds while Nitrogen likes to have three bonds and a lone pair. Looking at CH2, the Carbon can have 2 more bonds. NH2 already has 2 bonds, so we foresee N needing another bond. COOH has 3 bonds (=O and -OH), so the C probably also needs 1 more bond. Therefore, the C in CH2 is likely to be in the center and bond to the N in NH2 and C in COOH.