Considering only the formal charge , determine the major contributor among the canonical resonance structures of the following speciea. Explain. Nitrite ion(NO-2) and SCN^-?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 2, 2015

The speces are doubly and triply bound respectively.

Explanation:

O=N-O^-O=N−O−; of course this is a resonance isomer, the nitrogen retains a lone pair.

N-=C-S^-N≡C−S−; in each case the negative charge is retained by the chalcogen atom. Is this the major contributor? Who knows? You would have to look at IRIR spectra of the parent acids.

For thiocyanate, the charge is arguably delocalized, but there is no way we could make the prediction a priori .

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