Question

Three compounds that contain elements from Group 16 are SeO2F2 , SeOF2,

and SOF2. Possible Lewis electron dot diagrams for the compounds are
shown below. Which structure, A, B, or C, minimizes the formal charges for
each atom in SeO2F2 ?

Answer 1

A

Step-by-step explanation:

A formal charge (FC) is the charge assigned to an atom in a molecule, assuming that electrons in all chemical bonds are shared equally between atoms, regardless of relative electronegativity(Wikipedia).

The formal charge on an atom in a molecule reflects the electron count associated with the atom compared to the isolated neutral atom(University of Calgary).

Looking at all the structures listed A-E for SeO2F2, only structure A minimizes the formal charges for each atom in SeO2F2.