Resonance structure of five N atoms

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Matt Jacobs 3H
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Resonance structure of five N atoms

Postby Matt Jacobs 3H » Sun Oct 25, 2015 3:53 pm

The N5+ cation, in which five N atoms are connected in a long chain. How would you draw the resonance structures of this ion? It is confusing trying to determine where the double bonds and triple bonds and lone pair electrons are placed. Is there a certain process to do this on this complex structure? Is it based off of symmetry?
Also the question asks for the "most important" Lewis structure for the ion, would that be the most stable Lewis structure where the atoms have the lowest formal charges possible?

Marvin Lu 1E
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Re: Resonance structure of five N atoms

Postby Marvin Lu 1E » Sun Oct 25, 2015 4:18 pm

In this problem the N5+ chain is not symmetric. Your resonance is determined by experimenting where to put each bond and that the charge comes out to be +1. The most important structure is the structure that is most stable, where many and preferably the N in the middle has a formal charge of 0, but the overall charge must be +1.

Vishal Dobaria 4G
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Re: Resonance structure of five N atoms

Postby Vishal Dobaria 4G » Sun Oct 25, 2015 4:26 pm

Hello,

I was under the impression that the “most important” Lewis structure, needed to have symmetry in terms of the bonds as well as maintaining the symmetry in formal charge. This would occur when the two outer Nitrogen atoms would have triple bonds with the inner Nitrogen atoms and the middle atom would have a formal charge of -1.


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