Oxidation of the cyanide ion produces the stable cyanate ion, OCN-. The fulminate ion, CNO- , on the other hand, is very unstable. In fact, fulminate salts explode when struck; mercury(II) fulminate, Hg(CNO)2 , is used in blasting caps. Draw the Lewis structures and assign formal charges for the cyanate ion and the fulminate ion. ( C is the central atom in OCN- and N is the central atom in CNO-). Assign non-zero formal charges next to each atom. Include all valence lone pairs in your answer. Draw one structure per sketcher. Add additional sketchers using the drop-down menu in the bottom right corner. Separate resonance structures using the ↔ symbol from the drop-down menu. Do not use the square brackets tool in your answer.

Chemistry: The Molecular Science
5th Edition
ISBN:9781285199047
Author:John W. Moore, Conrad L. Stanitski
Publisher:John W. Moore, Conrad L. Stanitski
Chapter6: Covalent Bonding
Section6.8: Formal Charge
Problem 6.8PSP
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Oxidation of the cyanide ion produces the stable cyanate ion, OCN-. The fulminate ion, CNO- , on the other hand, is very unstable. In fact, fulminate salts explode when struck; mercury(II) fulminate, Hg(CNO)2 , is used in blasting caps.

Draw the Lewis structures and assign formal charges for the cyanate ion and the fulminate ion. ( C is the central atom in OCN- and N is the central atom in CNO-). Assign non-zero formal charges next to each atom.

  • Include all valence lone pairs in your answer.
  • Draw one structure per sketcher. Add additional sketchers using the drop-down menu in the bottom right corner.
  • Separate resonance structures using the ↔ symbol from the drop-down menu.
  • Do not use the square brackets tool in your answer.
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