What is the Lewis Structure of HOF?

Answer 1

H-O-F-O

1. You write it out as shown above.

2. Calculate the valence electrons contributed by each atom:

H--> 1 electron

O--> 6 electrons

F--> 7 electrons

O--> 6 electrons

*Add them all up*

1+6+7+6= 20 electrons

3. Start adding the valence electrons to the atoms, make sure you do not violate any rules. Do not add any electrons to hydrogen. Start with adding electrons to the oxygen on the far right.

4. You should end up with H-O-F-O --> Three lone pairs on the oxygen & 1 single bond for a total of 8 electrons, 2 lone pairs on the Fluorine & 2 single bonds, 2 lone pairs on the second Oxygen & 2 single bonds, and finally no lone pairs on the hydrogen and one single bond connecting it to the oxygen, giving a total of 2 electrons.

Extra information:

Chlorine is the only halogen to form an isolable acid of formula HOXO with X is a halogen of oxidation level +3. Even HOClO is not very stable: disproportionating by auto-redox: 2 HClO2 → HClO + HClO3. Chlorites however are stable.

Fluorine resists oxidation above the 1+ level. So HOFOseems NOT to be stable enough to exist in reasonable amounts.

Neither bromous acid nor iodous acid have been isolated. A few salts of bromous acid, bromites, are known, but no iodites.

There are no double bonds

Answer 2

H-O-F with 2 lone pairs on oxygen and 3 lone pairs on fluoride

Answer 3

There is a single line (representing a single bond) between H and F. Fluorine also has three sets of paired electrons.

Answer 4

:::f-n:=o::

Answer 5

tetrahedral