I know that one should not exceed an octet for second row elements, but what about having less than 8 valence electrons? I initially chose 3 for this questions, because I thought you can have 2 negative charges on the side oxygen atoms, and 2+ charge on the central oxygen. Obviously, this is wrong, can someone explain to me why I am wrong?
Resonance Structure and Octect Rule?
- Thread starter Bigbirdo
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I know that one should not exceed an octet for second row elements, but what about having less than 8 valence electrons? I initially chose 3 for this questions, because I thought you can have 2 negative charges on the side oxygen atoms, and 2+ charge on the central oxygen. Obviously, this is wrong, can someone explain to me why I am wrong?
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Taking away the double bond and leaving two single bonds doesn't give a resonance structure but rather another plausible Lewis structure. Resonance structures are always going to have the same number of double/single/triple bonds but only differ in the position of those bonds. Hope that helps. 
