The species CN⁻, CO, and NO⁺ all contain the same total number of electrons but differ in nuclear charges. A comparative analysis of their bonding can provide insight into the influence of nuclear charge on bond order and length.
(a) For each of the three species, compute the total number of valence electrons that must be represented in a Lewis diagram.
(b) Draw a complete Lewis diagram for each species, ensuring that octet requirements are satisfied and that all lone pairs and multiple bonds are displayed.
(c) Assign formal charges to the atoms in each structure from part (b) and verify that the sum of the formal charges equals the net charge of the species.
(d) Using the structures and formal charges obtained, arrange the three species in order of increasing predicted bond length. Provide a detailed justification that references both bond order and formal-charge considerations.
(e) Discuss how the trend you predicted in part (d) would manifest in experimentally measured bond dissociation energies for the three species.