The Lewis structure for CH₂ClCOO⁻ involves a double bond between the carbon and oxygen atoms, with the carbon bearing a +1 formal charge and the oxygen carrying a -1 formal charge.
The Lewis structure for CH₂ClCOO⁻, the acetate ion, is constructed by considering the valence electrons of each atom in the molecule. Carbon (C) has four valence electrons, hydrogen (H) has one, chlorine (Cl) has seven, and oxygen (O) has six. The total number of valence electrons in the molecular formula CH₂ClCOO⁻ is calculated, considering the negative charge of the ion.
The structure is built by forming single bonds between carbon and two hydrogen atoms, one chlorine atom, and one oxygen atom. Additionally, a double bond is established between carbon and oxygen. The formal charge on each atom is then determined, with carbon bearing a +1 formal charge, and the oxygen carrying a -1 formal charge, satisfying the charge of the acetate ion. This arrangement ensures that each atom follows the octet rule, with the exception of carbon, which can have fewer than eight electrons due to its position as the central atom in the ion. The resulting Lewis structure accurately represents the bonding and formal charges within CH₂ClCOO⁻.