Chlorate, ClO₃⁻, is an oxyanion frequently encountered in industrial bleaching processes. A chemist needs a complete particulate-level representation of the ion for a computational modeling study.
Work all parts methodically; clear, labeled Lewis diagrams are required wherever indicated.
(a) Determine the total number of valence electrons that must appear in the Lewis structure of ClO₃⁻.
(b) Draw all distinct, valid Lewis resonance structures of ClO₃⁻. Show lone pairs, single and multiple bonds, and place the ion inside brackets with its charge.
(c) For each resonance structure, assign formal charges to every atom. Identify which resonance structure(s) contribute most to the resonance hybrid, justifying your choice in terms of formal charges and electronegativity.
(d) Calculate the average Cl–O bond order predicted by the full set of resonance structures you generated. Show your reasoning.
(e) Explain how the average bond order you obtained in part (d) is consistent with experimental observations that the three Cl–O bond lengths in chlorate are essentially identical.