Radical Question

[Ava Harvey 2B]

Hi! I was just wondering why exactly the radical electron goes on the least electronegative atom when drawing and figuring out the best Lewis structure. If someone could help clarify, that would be great! Thanks!

[Shawn Patel 1I]

Hey,
The radical electron, or the lone electron, would be placed on the least electronegative atom because the more electronegative atoms in the molecule would rather have the full set. The more electronegative an atom is, the more it pulls away other electrons, so the least electronegative atom is less likely to pull the electron to itself for a full set.

Hope this helps.

[Kathleen Vidanes 1E]

So just to clarify, the least electronegative atom takes the radical electron because it does not need a full set as much as the more electronegative atom does? Is a "full set" considered a lone pair in this case, or a full octet?

[alyssawhite1L]

Its less that the radical goes to the least electronegative ion, and more that the MOST electronegative atom is going to attract the maximum amount of electrons possible, which for those that obey the octet is 8.

[alyssawhite1L]

so therefore a full set or full octet needs 4 pairs of electrons. so a full set could never contain a radical