Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is widely used as a bleaching agent. The radical can be converted to ClO2+ by the loss of one electron in strong acidic media.
Answer the following questions about these two species.
(a) Determine the total number of valence electrons in neutral ClO2 and in ClO2+.
(b) Draw the most stable Lewis structure for neutral ClO2, showing all lone pairs, the position of the unpaired electron, and any formal charges. Include every resonance form that contributes significantly to the overall structure.
(c) Draw a plausible Lewis structure for ClO2+ and compare the formal-charge distribution with that of neutral ClO2.
(d) Using your Lewis diagrams, predict whether the O–Cl–O bond angle is expected to increase, decrease, or remain approximately the same when ClO2 is converted to ClO2+. Justify your prediction in terms of electron-domain geometry.