what is the lewis structure for this:
CH3OH2+
I tried drawing one but I got my formal charges wrong, and it didn't add up
ooops i just figured it. did a silly mistake
Can you give me the formal charge?
To determine the Lewis structure for CH3OH2+, you need to first calculate the total number of valence electrons in the molecule.
Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons, Hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron, Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, and the positive charge (+) adds one more electron.
So, CH3OH2+ will have a total of:
1 carbon atom x 4 valence electrons = 4 electrons
4 hydrogen atoms x 1 valence electron = 4 electrons
1 oxygen atom x 6 valence electrons = 6 electrons
Positive charge (+) adds 1 electron
Total valence electrons = 4 + 4 + 6 + 1 = 15 electrons
Now, we can start building the Lewis structure. Here's how you can do it step by step:
1. Place the atoms in the molecule. Carbon (C) is usually placed in the center, and Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O) are positioned around it.
2. Connect the atoms using single bonds. Since Carbon (C) can form up to four bonds and Hydrogen (H) can form only one bond, you can start by connecting the central Carbon (C) atom to three Hydrogen (H) atoms. This will account for 3 x 2 = 6 electrons.
3. Assign the remaining electrons to Oxygen (O). In this case, we have a total of 15 valence electrons, and we have already used 6 electrons in bonding. Therefore, we have 15 - 6 = 9 electrons remaining.
4. Place the remaining electrons around Oxygen (O). Since Oxygen (O) needs two additional electrons to satisfy the octet rule, we will form a double bond between Carbon (C) and Oxygen (O). This will account for 4 electrons (2 pairs).
5. Finally, distribute the remaining 5 electrons around the Oxygen (O) atom, making sure that Oxygen (O) satisfies the octet rule by having a total of 8 electrons around it.
By following this method, you should be able to draw the Lewis structure for CH3OH2+ correctly, considering the formal charges and the total number of electrons.