Question

A certain compound is made up of one phosphorus (P) atom, three chlorine (Cl) atoms, and one oxygen (O) atom. What is the chemical formula of this compound?

Answer 1

Phosphoryl chloride, `O=PCl_3`, which in the lab you would call "POCKLE3"

Explanation:

See here for details of its chemistry. It would be found in every inorganic and organic laboratory. It is used in the Vilsmeier-Haack-Arnold reaction..

The alternative representation is `""^(-)O-P^(+)Cl_3`; you will see both representations in the texts.