What is the Lewis dot structure of #"H"_2"O"_2#?

1 Answer
anor277
Feb 13, 2016

It is simply #H-O-O-H#, a neutral molecule, in which each #O# bears #2# lone pairs of electrons.

Explanation:

There are 14 valence electrons to distribute, 4 of these are conceived to constitute the #H-O# bond, 2 of these the #O-O# bond, and the 8 remaining are the 4 formal lone pairs on the oxygen atoms.

The oxidation state of oxygen in this molecule is #-I#; in fact this is why it is called a #"peroxide"#. Why does #O# bear this formal oxidation state? For contrast, the oxidation of #O# in water is certainly #-II#.

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