2C5a Help

[Abby Soriano 1J]

The question asks us to draw the Lewis structure of reactive species and to indicate which are radicals. I'm confused about letter a:
chlorine monoxide, ClO. Why is the radical on Cl rather than on O? Can you put it on O? What rules would apply to figuring out which element has the radical?

[Joowon Seo 3A]

I think is because of formal charges, Cl and O are double bonded which means that for Cl to have a formal charge of zero, the leftover radical e- must bind to Cl

[ahuang]

Cl and O are single bonded and oxygen must follow the octet rule, so that's why Cl must be a radical