Rules for writing Lewis Dot Structures (a notation used to show electron

distribution about atoms-example given for diazomethane: H2CN2)

1. Count the total number of valence electrons contributed by the electrically

neutral atoms. If the species being considered is an ion, add one electron to the
total for each negative charge; subtract one electron for each positive charge.

(overall charge is zero so no electrons added or

subtracted)

2. Write the elemental symbols for the atoms and fill in the number of electrons
determined in step 1 as dots around the atom. The electrons should be added so
as to make the valence-shell occupancy of hydrogen 2 and the valence shell
occupancy of other atoms 8 wherever possible. (note that in some cases, an
atom will necessarily have to have less than 8)

3. Valence shell occupancy must not exceed 2 for hydrogen and 8 for a second-
row atom; for a third-row atom it may be 10 or 12.

4 . Maximize the number of bonds, and minimize the number of unpaired

electrons always taking care not to violate Rule 3.

5. Find the formal charge on each atom using the equation given above.

H=>valence electrons =1 and each H has 1 [[sigma]] bond therefore, 1-1=0; no

formal charge on H
C => valence electrons = 4 and it has 3 bonds ([[sigma]]) to it (1/2 x 6 e's = 3)
and one lone pair (non-bonding pair= 2e's) therefore, 4-5= -1; C has a -1 charge
in this resonance structure

N(on left) => valence electrons= 5 and it has 2 [[sigma]] and 1 [[pi]] bond to it
(1/2 x 6 e's = 3) & 1 lone pair (non-bonding pair of e's = 2 e's) therefore, 5-5
=0; no formal charge on N (on left)

N(on right) => valence electrons = 5 and it has 1 [[sigma]] bond and 1 [[pi]]
bond (1/2 x 4 e's = 2 e's) & 1 lone pair (2e's) therefore , 5-4 = +1; N(on right)
has a +1 charge in this resonance structure

How to draw Lewis structures for molecules that contain no

charged atoms

1) Count the total valence electrons for the molecule: To do this, find the
number of valence electrons for each atom in the molecule, and add them up.

2) Figure out how many octet electrons the molecule should have, using
the octet rule: The octet rule tells us that all atoms want eight valence electrons
(except for hydrogen, which wants only two), so they can be like the nearest
noble gas. Use the octet rule to figure out how many electrons each atom in the
molecule should have, and add them up. The only weird element is boron - it
wants six electrons.

3) Subtract the valence electrons from octet electrons: Or, in other words,
subtract the number you found in #1 above from the number you found in #2
above. The answer you get will be equal to the number of bonding electrons in
the molecule.

4) Divide the number of bonding electrons by two: Remember, because

every bond has two electrons, the number of bonds in the molecule will be equal
to the number of bonding electrons divided by two.

5) Draw an arrangement of the atoms for the molecule that contains the
number of bonds you found in #4 above: Some handy rules to remember are
these:

o Hydrogen and the halogens bond once.

o The family oxygen is in bonds twice.
o The family nitrogen is in bonds three times. So does boron.
 o The family carbon is in bonds four times.

A good thing to do is to bond all the atoms together by single bonds, and then
add the multiple bonds until the rules above are followed.

6) Find the number of lone pair (nonbonding) electrons by subtracting the

bonding electrons (#3 above) from the valence electrons (#1 above).
Arrange these around the atoms until all of them satisfy the octet
rule: Remember, ALL elements EXCEPT hydrogen want eight electrons around
them, total. Hydrogen only wants two electrons.

Let's do an example: CO2

Note: Each of the numbers below correspond to the same numbered step above.

1) The number of valence electrons is 16. (Carbon has four electrons, and each
of the oxygens have six, for a total of 4 + 12 = 16 electrons).

2) The number of octet electrons is equal to 24. (Carbon wants eight electrons,
and each of the oxygens want eight electrons, for a total of 8+16 = 24 electrons).

3) The number of bonding electrons is equal to the octet electrons minus the
valence electrons, or 8.

4) The number of bonds is equal to the number of bonding electrons divided by

two, because there are two electrons per bond. As a result, in CO2, the number
of bonds is equal to 4. (Because 8/2 is 4).

5) If we arrange the molecule so that the atoms are held together by four bonds,
we find that the only way to do it so that we get the following pattern: O=C=O,
where carbon is double-bonded to both oxygen atoms.

6) The number of nonbonding electrons is equal to the number of valence

electrons (from #1) minus the number of bonding electrons (from #3), which in
our case equals 16 - 8, or 8. Looking at our structure, we see that carbon already
has eight electrons around it. Each oxygen, though, only has four electrons
around it. To complete the picture, each oxygen needs to have two sets of
nonbonding electrons, as in this Lewis structure:

How to draw Lewis structures for molecules that contain one or

more charged atoms
This method is basically the same one you learned above, except that there
are a few extra rules to keep track of. Changes in the procedure above are
outlined in red for your convenience.

1) Count the total valence electrons for the molecule: To do this, find the
number of valence electrons for each atom in the molecule, and add them up.
For polyatomic anions, add the charge of the ion to the number of valence
electrons. For polyatomic cations, subtract the charge of the ion from the
number of valence electrons.

2) Figure out how many octet electrons the molecule should have, using
the octet rule: The octet rule tells us that all atoms (including boron) want eight
valence electrons (except for hydrogen, which wants only two), so they can be
like the nearest noble gas. Use the octet rule to figure out how many electrons
each atom in the molecule should have, and add them up.

3) Subtract the valence electrons from octet electrons: Or, in other words,
subtract the number you found in #1 above from the number you found in #2
above. The answer you get will be equal to the number of bonding electrons in
the molecule.

4) Divide the number of bonding electrons by two: Remember, because

every bond has two electrons, the number of bonds in the molecule will be equal
to the number of bonding electrons divided by two.

5) Draw an arrangement of the atoms for the molecule that contains the
number of bonds you found in #4 above: Some handy rules to remember are
these:

o Hydrogen and the halogens bond once.

o The family oxygen is in bonds one, two, or three times.
o The family nitrogen is in bonds two, three, or four times
o Boron usually bonds four times.
o The family carbon is in bonds four times.

A good thing to do is to bond all the atoms together by single bonds, and then
add the multiple bonds until the rules above are followed.

6) Find the number of lone pair (nonbonding) electrons by subtracting the

bonding electrons (#3 above) from the valence electrons (#1 above).
Arrange these around the atoms until all of them satisfy the octet
rule: Remember, ALL elements EXCEPT hydrogen want eight electrons around
them, total. Hydrogen only wants two electrons.

7) To find the charge on each atom, compare the number of electrons

that each atom has to the number of valence electrons it usually has. For
this purpose, each bond counts as one electron and each lone pair counts as
two electrons. For example, in CO2 above, carbon has four electrons (because it
has four bonds) and oxygen has six (two bonds + 4 lone pair electrons). If the
number of electrons that the atom has is more than the normal number of
valence electrons, the atom has a negative charge. If the number is less than
the normal number of valence electrons, the atom has a positive charge. If it's
the same, the atom has no charge at all.

Lewis ("electron dot") Structures

1. Consult the molecular formula and sum up all

the valence electrons from the separate atoms. The Group
number in the Periodic Table = the number of valence electrons
for an atom.
a. Add one for each (-) charge (extra electron);
b. Subtract one for each (+) charge (missing electron).
c. For example:

CH3NH2 = 5(1) + 4 + 5 = 14 e-
POCl3 = 5 + 6 + 3(7) = 32 e-
NO3- = 5 + 3(6) + 1 = 24 e-

2. Choose the central atom(s).

o Almost always the least electronegative atom is the central

atom.
o For example, in ClO2, the Cl is the central atom; in SF5 the S
is the central atom.
o Occasionally, you will need to choose the unique atom,
even when it is the most electronegative: e.g., the O in
Cl2O.
o A wrong choice usually will be signaled by your being
unable to write a valid structure.

Arrange the other atoms around the central atom, in accord with
the normal valences of the atoms. That is, do not place more
atoms around a central one than it normally can bond to.

o For first and second row elements, the maximum valence =

the Group number through Group IV; after that, it is 8 - (the
Group number).
 o The difference is that up through IV, the atoms tend to
donate electrons to get an octet, whereas beyond IV, they
accept electrons.
o Recognition of exceptions will come with experience.
o You may find that you will have to place fewer atoms than
normal around a central one; this is taken care of later.

Hydrogen never is the central atom. It forms only one bond, so it

must generally be in the outer layer of atoms. Therefore, place
hydrogen atoms last.

2. Insert pairs of electrons between all pairs of atoms that are to be

bonded together. If this uses up all available electrons, go to Rule
6.

3. Place any remaining electrons on peripheral atoms as unshared

pairs, starting with the most electronegative such atom.
o Fill this atom up to an octet.
o Then proceed to the next most electronegative, and so on.
o Remember that hydrogens can only have two electrons,
and so cannot have any unshared pairs.
4. If electrons still remain unused, place them on the central atoms
as unshared pairs, again beginning with the most electronegative
atom. Fill that atom to an octet. Then proceed to the next most
electronegative, and so on.

By application of Rules 4 and 5, the structures of our examples

become:
5. Examine the resulting structure. You will observe one of five
situations:

a. All of the atoms in the structure will have octets, except the
hydrogens, which will have two electrons each. Go to Rule
7.
b. The central atom is a Be with 4 electrons, or a B or Al with
6. These elements do not obey the octet rule. Go to Rule 7.
c. The molecule has an odd number of electrons, which
results in one of the central atoms having only 7 electrons.
Go to Rule 7.
d. The central atom has Z > 11, and has other than an octet.
Go to Rule 7.
e. The central atom is C, N, or O and
i. the number of electrons in the molecule is even and
the central atom lacks an octet; or
ii. the number of electrons in the molecule is odd and
the central atom has fewer than 7 electrons.

In either case, move an unshared pair from a

peripheral atom to make a double bond to the central
atom. If the central atom still has too few electrons,
move another pair from the same atom to make a
triple bond, or a pair from another atom to make a
second double bond.

When this action can be taken in more than one way,

write all possible ways as separate structures. You
have discovered resonance; the actual structure is a
hybrid of all of the individual structures.

Our two remaining example structures thus become:

3. Examine every atom in the structure and assign it a formal charge

as follows:
 formal charge = (number of valence electrons on the neutral,
uncombined atom) - (number of covalent bonds to the atom in the
current structure) - (the number of unshared electrons [not pairs]
on the atom in the current structure)

f. When counting covalent bonds, count double bonds (two

pairs of electrons) as 2 and triple bonds (three pairs of
electrons) as 3.
g. The sum of all formal charges of all atoms must equal the
given charge on the molecule or ion.
h. No unreasonable charges should result from this process.
That is, electronegative atoms should not get two (+)
charges, metals should not get (-) charges, and so on. If this
happens, you surely have done something wrong. Go back
to Rule 1 and start over.
i. If you get a lot of non-zero formal charges in a molecule that
is neutral overall, you probably have misplaced the
hydrogens. Go back to Rule 2.

For example, for the O in POCl3, we have:

6 - (1 covalent bond) - (6 unshared electrons) = -1

whereas for the P:

5 - (4 covalent bonds) - (0 unshared electrons) = +1

The full set of formal charges for the example molecules is

shown on the structures above.

4. Rules 1-7 may allow some collections of atoms to form several

valid structures with differing arrangements of atoms. This is OK;
the alternative arrangements of atoms are called isomers.
Isomers are particularly common among compounds of C, N, and
O. For example, two isomeric Lewis structures can be written for
C2H6O and four can be written for HCNO.
5. Although four of the five cases in Rule 6 require no alteration of
the structure, each case represents a normal bonding condition
for the atoms involved. The Octet Rule actually applies only to C,
N, O, and F. Bonding conditions unusual with respect to the Octet
Rule will be found to be perfectly satisfactory if the orbital
 interactions are considered instead of forcing the molecule to use
electron pair bonds.
6. Application of Rule 1-7 also may lead to multiple structures having
the same arrangement of atoms but different placement of
electrons. This is OK too. These are resonance structures: the
molecule actually resembles an average of all of the structures
rather than any single one. Like the cases in Rule 9, these also
will go away when we consider orbital interactions.