Question

Use formal charge to explain why the fulminate ion is less stable and therefore more reactive) than the cyanate ion. Match the items in the left column to the appropriate blanks in the sentences on the right. Reset Help more Each resonance contributor for the fulminate ion the octet less rule. the sum of the formal charges is -1 When comparing the electronegativity values, Nis electronegative than C, thus structures with a negative formal charge on C stable and structures with a positive formal charge on N are stable the octet rule is not obeyed are does not follow follows Given this information, the fulminate ion is unstable mainly because more resonance contributors are needed formal charge distribution is unfavored

Answer 1

The fulminate ion is less stable and more reactive than the cyanate ion due to the distribution of formal charges. The sum of the formal charges in the fulminate ion is -1, while it is 0 in the cyanate ion. According to the octet rule, stable structures generally have negative formal charges on the more electronegative atoms and positive formal charges on the less electronegative atoms. Since nitrogen (N) is more electronegative than carbon (C), structures with a positive formal charge on N are stable while structures with a negative formal charge on C are stable.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fulminate ion is less stable and more reactive than the cyanate ion due to the distribution of formal charges. In the fulminate ion, the sum of the formal charges is -1, while it is 0 for the cyanate ion. According to the octet rule, stable structures generally have negative formal charges on the more electronegative atoms and positive formal charges on the less electronegative atoms. Since nitrogen (N) is more electronegative than carbon (C), structures with a positive formal charge on N are stable, while structures with a negative formal charge on C are stable.

The fulminate ion requires more resonance contributors to satisfy the formal charge distribution and stabilize the structure. This is because the C atom in the fulminate ion violates the octet rule by not having an octet of electrons. In contrast, the cyanate ion follows the octet rule and has a more stable structure.