What is the Lewis representation of the #"azide ion"#, #N_3^(-)#?

1 Answer
Sep 26, 2017

Well, if its #"azide ion"#, you got a negative charge.....

Explanation:

You gots #"azide ion"#, i.e. #:stackrel(-)N=stackrel(+)N=stackrel(-)N:#. This is the typical representation of the resonance structure, and thus the ion has a formal negative charge. Simple VESPER would insist, that the ion is LINEAR, i.e. #/_N-N-N=180^@#.