What is NO_2 called?

1 Answer
anor277
Jan 9, 2017

"Nitrogen(IV) dioxide.........."

Explanation:

Or "dinitrogen tetroxide".

The Lewis structure of "NO"_2 features a lone electron on the formally positive nitrogen centre, and this can rationalize the formation of "N"_2"O"_4, "dinitrogen tetroxide":

2("O"=dot"N"^(+)-"O"^(-))rightleftharpoons(""^(-)"O")("O"=)"N"^(+)-""^(+)"N"(="O")("O"^-)

The nitrogen radicals are conceived to couple to form a "N"-"N" bond, in which both centres are still formal cations. What is the formal charge on the dimer?

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