Chapter 9

Covalent Bonding
&
Lewis Structures
 Covalent compounds
 The electrons in each atom are attracted to
the nucleus of the other.
 The electrons repel each other,
 The nuclei repel each other.
 They attempt to reach a distance with the
lowest possible energy.
 The distance between is the bond length.
Energy

Internuclear Distance
Energy

Internuclear Distance
Energy

Internuclear Distance
Energy

Internuclear Distance
Energy

Optimal Bond Length

Internuclear Distance
Energy

Bond Energy
0

Internuclear Distance
 Lengths of Covalent Bonds

Bond Lengths
Triple bond < Double Bond < Single Bond 9.4
 Covalent Bonding
 Electrons are shared by atoms.
 Ionic & covalent are two extremes based on
electronegativity difference.
 In between are polar covalent bonds where
the electrons are not shared evenly.
 One end is slightly positive, the other
negative.
The Electronegativities of Common Elements

See Pg. 370

9.5
 Ionic Character increases
Covalent Character decreases
Electronegativity Bond
difference Type

Zero Covalent

Polar
Intermediate
Covalent

Large Ionic
Polar covalent bond or polar bond is a covalent bond
with greater electron density around one of the two
atoms

electron rich
electron poor
region
region e- poor e- rich

H F H F
d+ d-

9.5
 How It is drawn
Dipole Arrow
d+ d-
H-F
 Classify the following bonds as ionic, polar
covalent, or covalent: The bond in CsCl; the
bond in H2S; and the NN bond in H2NNH2.

Cs – 0.7 Cl – 3.0 3.0 – 0.7 = 2.3 Ionic

H – 2.1 S – 2.5 2.5 – 2.1 = 0.4 Polar Covalent

N – 3.0 N – 3.0 3.0 – 3.0 = 0 Covalent

9.5
Valence electrons are the outer shell electrons of an
atom. These electrons are the only ones that
participate in chemical bonding. They are in the s & p
orbitals.
Group e configuration
-
# of valence e
-

1A ns1 1
2A ns2 2
3A ns2np1 3
4A ns2np2 4
5A ns2np3 5
6A ns2np4 6
7A ns2np5 7

9.1
 Lewis Dot Symbols for the Representative Elements &
Noble Gases

Lewis dots are used to represent the valence

electrons during a reaction of two atoms. The total
number of electrons can not change. 9.1
 Lewis Structure of a Molecule
 Shows how the valence electrons are
arranged between atoms.
 One dot for each valence electron.
 A stable compound has all its atoms with a
noble gas configuration.
 Hydrogen & Helium follow the duet rule.
 The rest follow the octet rule.
 Bonding pair is located between the atomic
symbols.
 Why should two atoms share electrons?

F + F F F
7e- 7e- 8e- 8e-

Lewis structure of F2

single covalent bond lone pairs F F lone pairs

single covalent bond

lone pairs F F lone pairs

9.4
Lewis structure of water single covalent bonds

H + O + H H O H or H O H
2e-8e-2e-

Double bond – two atoms share two pairs of electrons

O C O or O C O
8e- 8ebonds
double -
8e- double bonds

Triple bond – two atoms share three pairs of electrons

N N or N N
8e-8e
triple -
bond
triple bond
9.4
 Writing Lewis Structures
1. Draw skeletal structure showing what atoms
are bonded to each other. Least
electronegative element in the center.
2. Count total number of valence e-. Add 1 for
each negative charge. Subtract 1 for each
positive charge.
3. Complete an octet for all atoms except
hydrogen
4. If structure contains too few electrons, form
double and triple bonds on central atom.
9.6
 Practice
CF4
CO2
NH3
HCN
SO4-2 (S is central atom)
SeCl2 (Se is central atom)
 Exceptions to the octet rule

Be and B often do not achieve

octet. ie: BH3 They have less than
and octet, and are very reactive.
 Exceptions to the Octet Rule

The Incomplete Octet

Be – 2e-
BeH2 2H – 2x1e- H Be H
4e-

B – 3e- 3 single bonds (3x2) = 6

3F – 3x7e- F B F
BF3 9 lone pairs (9x2) = 18
24e- Total = 24
F

9.9
 Exceptions to the Octet Rule

Odd-Electron Molecules
N – 5e-
NO O – 6e- N O
11e-

The Expanded Octet (central atom with

principal quantum number n > 2)
F
F F
S – 6e- 6 single bonds (6x2) = 12
SF6 6F – 42e- S 18 lone pairs (18x2) = 36
48e- Total = 48
F F
F
9.9
 Expanded Octet
–When we must exceed the octet,
satisfy the octet rule first and then
place the extra electrons on the
central atom.
ClF3
XeO3
ICl4-
 Resonance
Sometimes there is more than one
valid structure for an molecule or
ion.
NO3-
Use a double arrow to indicate it is
the “average” of the structures.
It doesn’t switch between them.
 Formal Charge
For molecules and polyatomic ions
that contain multiple bonds there are
several possible structures.
Use formal charges on the atoms to
help decide which is favored.
 Formal Charge
Counting Formal Charge
Each electron in a Lone pair counts 1
Each bond count 1
F.C. = Valence e- - (non-bound +
bonds)
Example: CO2
The Favored Structure is the…..
• Structure with the formal charge closest
to zero
• Structure which has a negative formal
charge on the more electronegative atom
• The sum of the formal charges of the
atoms in a molecule or ion must equal
the charge on the molecule or ion.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq1jiSFD6dE