What is the Lewis structure for a perchlorate ion?

1 Answer
Aug 20, 2016

For #"perchlorate anion, "ClO_4^-#, there are #7+4xx6+1=32" valence electrons"# to distribute.

Explanation:

There are thus 16 electron pairs to distribute over 5 centres.

#""^(-)O-Cl(=O)_3# You must fill in the lone pairs. Clearly, the negatuve charge is localized on oxygen in this representation, but all the oxygen atoms are formally equivalent.