How do we write the Lewis structure of the hypochlorite anion, ClO^(-)ClO−?

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1 Answer
anor277
Oct 8, 2016

These try to depict the electronic structure of ClO^-ClO− anion.

Explanation:

In fact the given diagram is highly misleading and ambiguous. The valence electrons around the chlorine atom were depicted. Why should only the chlorine-based electrons be? As written, the chlorine atom is neutral. A similar depiction should have been given around oxygen, and here a formal negative charge would be associated with the oxygen atom, as is required for the ClO^-ClO− anion, where the negative charge would lie on the oxygen atom.

For chlorate anion there are 6+7+16+7+1 valence electrons, i.e 7 electron pairs. One of the electron pairs is conceived to form the Cl-OCl−O bond. The other 6 are conceived to form 3 lone pairs around the chlorine and oxygen atoms.

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