Question

What is the Lewis structure of `"dinitrogen pentoxide"`?

Answer 1

Nitrogen is formally quaternized in `N_2O_5`, and each nitrogen bears a formal positive charge.

Explanation:

The central oxygen atom is neutral. There are `2xx5(N)+5xx6(O)` `=` `40" valence electrons" ="20 electron pairs."`

And thus a Lewis structure of `(O=)^+N(O^-)O(O^-)N^+(=O)` is reasonable. Clearly, the terminal oxygen atoms are equivalent by resonance. You should practise drawing out the different resonance isomers.