What is the geometry of the carbonate dianion, CO_3^(2-)?

1 Answer
anor277
May 2, 2017

Carbonate anion is trigonal planar to a first approximation.........

Explanation:

We have 4+3xx6+2=24*"electrons" to distribute around 3 oxygen and 1 carbon atoms.......

A Lewis structure gives O=C(-O^(-))_2, which gives one neutral (sp^2-"hybridized") oxygen, and 2 formally anionic oxygen centres (sp^3-"hybridized")......The central carbon is sp^2-"hybridized".

If we ignore the pi-"bond", there are THREE regions of electron density around the central carbon, and trigonal planar geometry is adopted, with /_O-C-O=120^@.

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