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 7.1
VALENCE ELECTRON
AND
LEWIS STRUCTURE
7.1 Valence Electron and Lewis Structure

a) Write the Lewis dot symbol for an atom.

b) State the octet rule.
c) Describe how atoms obtain the octet configuration.
d) Describe the formation of the following bonds using
Lewis dot symbol;
i. Ionic or electrocovalent bond; and
ii. Covalent bond
(Include the explanation in terms of difference in
electronegativity; use only elements of Period 2 and 3.) 4
7.1 Valence Electron and Lewis Structure

e) Draw the Lewis structure of covalent species with single,

double and triple bonds.
(Use only elements of Period 2 and 3; include Lewis
structure for simple polyatomic ions.)
f) Determine the formal charge and the most plausible
Lewis structure.
g) Explain the exception to the octet rule;
Incomplete octet;
Expanded octet;
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Odd-number electrons.
 Ö Atoms or ions are joined together by :

ý Ionic bond
ý Covalent bond
ý Metallic bond

The idea of bonding was first suggested by an American chemist,

G.N. Lewis in 1916.

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What is a chemical bond?

A force that hold atoms together

in a compound or molecule.
The type of chemical bond formed
by an atom depends on the
electronic structure of the atom.
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 Classification of Chemical Bond

PRIMARY SECONDARY
BOND BOND
(bond between atoms) (intermolecular forces)
! Ionic bonds ! van der Waals forces
! hydrogen bonds
!Covalent bonds
Normal covalent bond
!Metallic bonds Dative covalent bond
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 PRIMARY BOND
IONIC
COVALENT
BOND
BOND

Form between
Form between
metals and
non-metals and
non-metals
non-metals

METALLIC
BOND Form between metal
and metal atoms 9
 Lewis Dot Symbol

J A way of representing atoms or molecules by showing the

electrons in the valence shell of the atom as dots surrounding
the elements symbol.
J In a Lewis dot symbol, only the valence electrons are shown.
J Each electron is represented by either :

x or ● 10
EXAMPLE :

Element No. of valence e Lewis symbols

Na 1 Ÿ Na
Mg Ÿ
2 Ÿ Mg

Ÿ
Si 4 Ÿ Si Ÿ
Ÿ

ŸŸ
Cl Cl Ÿ
ŸŸ
7 ŸŸ

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12
 The Octet Rule

ÿ Atoms combine with one another by either losing,

gaining or sharing of electrons.
ÿ It is in order to achieve a stable, noble gas electronic
configuration.
ÿ All noble gases (except Helium) have 8 electrons in their
valence shell (known as octet)
ÿ Atoms can achieve stability either by :

© transferring of electrons
© sharing of electrons 13
The Formation of Bonds

i) IONIC @ ELECTROCOVALENT BOND

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 i) IONIC @ ELECTROCOVALENT BOND

An ionic bond is the electrostatic attraction between

oppositely charged ions (cation & anion).

ý Formed when a metal transfers electrons to a non-metal to

achieve stable electron configuration.
ý Metal elements tend to lose electrons (low IE) while non-
metal tend to gain electrons

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 Lewis Structure For Ionic Compound

Ÿ + ŸŸ -
Ÿ

ŸŸ

ŸŸ
Na + Cl Na Cl
ŸŸ

ŸŸ
ŸŸ ŸŸ

2+
Ÿ Ÿ ŸŸ 2-

ŸŸ
ŸŸ
Ca + O Ca O
ŸŸ
ŸŸ

Ÿ Ÿ ŸŸ

Exercise :

Using Lewis dot symbol, show how the ionic bond is formed between;

a) CaI2 b) Li2O
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 ii) COVALENT BOND

H F

A covalent bond is the bond formed by a pair of electrons

shared between two atoms.

ý Formed when non-metal atoms share their valence electrons

to complete their octet.
ý Each atom contributes one unpaired electron to the shared
electron pair. 17
 ý The pair of electrons can be :

§ Bonding pair electrons

ÿ pairs of electrons that take part in covalent bond formation.

ÿ One pair is often represented by a single line.

§ Non-bonding pair electrons

v pairs of valence electrons that are not involved in covalent

bond formation.
v One pair is called lone-pair electron.

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 Lewis Structure For Covalent Compound

xx ●● xx ●● Non-bonding
x
F F x
F x ●F electrons @

●●

●●
x x + ● x
xx ●● xx ●● Lone pairs

Bonding electrons

xx ●●

●
x ●
x F F ●
x

xx ●●
Single covalent bond
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Atoms can form different types of covalent bonds;

Single covalent bond ( - )

v two atoms are shared one pair of electron

H ŸŸ
H or H - H
σ bond

v A single bond is made up of a sigma (σ) bond

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 Double covalent bond ( = )

v two atoms share two pairs of electrons

σ bond
ŸŸ
ŸŸ
ŸŸ
ŸŸ
or O = O

ŸŸ

ŸŸ
ŸŸ
O O
ŸŸ

ŸŸ
ŸŸ
Π bond

v A double bond is made up of sigma bond (σ) and pi bonds (π)

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 Triple covalent bond ( º )

v two atoms share three pairs of electrons

ŸŸ σ bond
N N or N º N
ŸŸ

ŸŸ

ŸŸ

ŸŸ
ŸŸ
ŸŸ
Π bond

v A double bond is made up of one sigma bond (σ) and two pi

bonds (π)

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 Bond Length
Bond Type
(pm)
C C 154
C=C 133
CºC 120
C N 143
C=N 138
CºN 116

Multiple bonds are shorter than single covalent bonds

Bond Lengths
Triple bond < Double Bond < Single Bond
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Comparison of Ionic and Covalent Compounds

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 How To Draw Lewis Structure Of Covalent Compound

There are several basic steps to follow :

Step 1
Count the total number of valence electrons present in the molecule.

For ;
w anion – add the number of ‘- ’ charge
w cation – subtract the number of ‘ + ’ charge

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Step 2
Draw the skeletal structure of the molecule or polyatomic ions.

w the least electronegative atom occupies the central position,

except the hydrogen atom.
w the more electronegative atom occupies the terminal position.

Step 3
Draw a single covalent bond. Complete the octets of the terminal
atoms.

w one single bond represents 2 valence electrons.

w place any remaining valence electron (if any) on the central
atom.
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Step 4
If the octet rule is not satisfied for the central atom, try adding
multiple bonds.

Use one or more of lone pairs of electrons of the terminal atoms to

form double or triple bond.
Double bond ( = ) C , O , N , S , Se , P
Triple bond ( ≡ ) C , N

Exercise :

Draw the Lewis structure for the following species;

a) CH4 b) PH3 c) SH2 d) CO32-
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Species Step
1 Total no. of valence electron:
1 N atom = 1 x 5 = 5
3 F atoms = 3 x 7 = 21
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2 Determine the central atom (less
electronegative atom)
NF3 F is more electronegative than N.
Skeletal structure:
FNF
F
3 Draw a single bond. Complete the octets
of the terminal atoms.

F-N-F
F
 1 Total no. of valence electron:
2 H atom = 2 x 1 = 2
2 O atoms = 2 x 6 = 12
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2 Skeletal structure:
H2O
H O H

3 Draw a single bond.

Complete the octets of the atoms.
Central atom has lone pairs

H–O–H
 1 Total no. of valence electron:
1 C atom = 1 x 4 = 4
2 O atoms = 2 x 6 = 12
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2 Skeletal structure:

CO2 O C O

3 Draw a single bond.

Complete the octets of the terminal
atoms.
Noted that C atom is still not octet,
lone pairs will form another bond

O-C-O O=C=O
 Exception to the Octet Rule
Ø In octet configuration , atoms should have electronic
configuration of noble gas.
Ø But…there are exceptions to the Octet Rule
i) Incomplete octet;
ii) Expanded octet; and
iii) Odd-number electrons.

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 i) Incomplete Octet

Central atom has less than 8 electrons.

Elements in Groups 2 & 13 , Period 2 .

ü Less metallic character
ü Do not donate electrons but share electrons
ü Example:
BeCl2, BF3, AlCl3

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Examples:

BeCl2
ww ww
Cl w + x Be x + w Cl Cl – Be – Cl
ww

ww
ww ww

BCl3
ww ww
Cl w + B x + w Cl Cl – B – Cl
ww

ww
x
ww x ww
w Cl
Cl
ww

ww

ww
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 ii) Expanded Octet

Central atoms having 10 or even 12 valence electrons.

ü Involves elements in Period 3 and onwards (non metals)

Period 3 : 3 subshells available
(3s, 3p and 3d)
Electrons can occupy the 3d-orbital after the 3p-orbital
is completely filled with electrons.

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 Example:

PCl5
ww
Cl
ww

ww
w Cl

Cl w
ww x
w Cl
ww
Cl Cl
®
ww

Px ww P
x
ww ww
xx
ww
w Cl
ww Cl Cl
Cl w
ww

ww

ww ww

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 iii) Odd-Number Electrons

Central atoms from an odd-numbered group in Periodic Table

ü Most odd-number electrons molecule have a central atom

from an odd-numbered group in the Periodic Table,
such as Nitrogen (Group 15) and Chlorine (Group 17).

üA molecule with an odd number of valence electrons cannot

satisfy the octet rule on all of its atom

ü Example :
NO, NO2 and ClO2

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Example:

NO

®
x w
N O N = O

ww
x
ww
x x
w

xx ww xx ww

ü Even though O (terminal) atom has achieved octet,

but N (central) atom has not.

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 Formal Charges

Formal Charges are apparent charges on certain atoms in

Lewis structure

v used to determine the most plausible Lewis structure.

v characteristic of the a stable Lewis structure :

♫ all formal charges equal to zero or approaching zero;

♫ negative formal charge appears on the most electronegative
atoms

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 Formal
Charge total number total number
1 total number
on an atom = of valence - of non- -
2 of bonding
in a Lewis electrons in an bonding electrons
structure atom electrons

The sum of the formal charges of the atoms in a molecule or ion

must equal the charge on the molecule or ion.

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Lewis structures of COCl2 ;

Cl 2 Cl
O C Cl 1 O C Cl
Structure A Structure B
Formal charges : Formal charges :
C = 4 – 0 + ½ (8) = 0
C = 4 – 0 + ½ (8) = 0
Cl1 = 7 – 4 + ½ (4) = +1
Cl = 7 – 6 + ½ (2) = 0
Cl2 = 7 – 6 + ½ (2) = 0
O = 6 – 4 + ½ (4) = 0
O = 6 – 6 + ½ (2) = –1
\The most plausible structure of COCl2 is Structure B.
All atoms have formal charge equal to zero. 40
 Draw all possible Lewis structures for NCO -.
Example:
Determine the most plausible Lewis structure.
●● − ●● −
N C ●●
O

●●
N C O

●●
●●

●●
●●
Structure A Structure C

C = 4 – 0 + ½ (8) = 0 − C = 4 – 0 + ½ (8) = 0
●● ●●
N = 5 – 6 + ½ (2) = –2 N= C=
●●
O
●● N = 5 – 2 + ½ (6) = 0
O = 6 – 2 + ½ (6) = +1 Structure B O = 6 – 6 + ½ (4) = –1
C = 4 – 0 + ½ (8) = 0
N = 5 – 4 + ½ (4) = –1
O = 6 – 4 + ½ (4) = 0 41
 -2
●●
0 +1 − -1
●●
0 0
●●
− 0 0 -1
●● −
N C O N = C = O N C ●●
O
●●

●●

●●
●●
●● ●● ●●

Structure A Structure B Structure C

\The most plausible structure of NCO- is Structure C.

O is more electronegative than N, hence should take
up formal charge of -1.

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