How do we represent ozone gas by VSEPR? Is it #""^(-)O-stackrel(+)O=O#?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 12, 2017

@Malcolm ....you seem to have answered your question. Well done!

Explanation:

We represent MOLECULAR ozone as #""^(-)O-stackrel(+)O=O#, and going from left to right atom, there are 9, 7, and 8 electrons around each oxygen atom, and thus FORMAL charges of #-1, +1, 0# respectively, given that the oxygen nucleus contains EIGHT positive charges. Of course the other resonance structure reverses this assignment. Ozone is thus a NEUTRAL MOLECULE....

Anyway you know you have #3xx6=18# VALENCE electrons to distribute and #""^(-)O-stackrel(+)O=O# does this. VESPER predicts a #/_O-O-O<=120^@# due to the influence of the lone pair on the central oxygen.

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