How to count formal charge in NO2?

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How to count formal charge in Nitrite Ion?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 29, 2017

In nitrite ion? It looks like you done it mate.

Explanation:

We gots #NO_2^(-)#, and thus we have #5+2xx6+1=18*"valence electrons"# to distribute....

And so #""^(-)O-stackrel(ddot)N=O#...around each atom from your left to right there are 9, 7, and 8 electrons respectively leading to formal charges of #-1#, #0#, and #0#.

Of course we can distribute the negative charge over the two oxygen centres by resonance, and so #/_O-N-O# #<# #120^@#, i.e. the nitrogen lone pair, which is closer to the nitrogen atom exerts a disproportionate influence on the bond angle.

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