NOF Lewis structure

NOF (nitrosyl fluoride) has one nitrogen atom, one oxygen atom, and one fluorine atom.

In the NOF Lewis structure, there is a double bond between nitrogen and oxygen atom, and a single bond between nitrogen and fluorine atom. The oxygen atom has two lone pairs, the nitrogen atom has one lone pair, and the fluorine atom has three lone pairs.

Alternative method: Lewis structure of NOF

Rough sketch

• First, determine the total number of valence electrons

In the periodic table, nitrogen lies in group 15, oxygen lies in group 16, and fluorine lies in group 17.

Hence, nitrogen has five valence electrons, oxygen has six valence electrons, and fluorine has seven valence electrons.

Since NOF has one nitrogen atom, one oxygen atom, and one fluorine atom, so…

Valence electrons of one nitrogen atom = 5 × 1 = 5
Valence electrons of one oxygen atom = 6 × 1 = 6
Valence electrons of one fluorine atom = 7 × 1 = 7

And the total valence electrons = 5 + 6 + 7 = 18

Learn how to find: Nitrogen valence electrons, Oxygen valence electrons, and Fluorine valence electrons

• Second, find the total electron pairs

We have a total of 18 valence electrons. And when we divide this value by two, we get the value of total electron pairs.

Total electron pairs = total valence electrons ÷ 2

So the total electron pairs = 18 ÷ 2 = 9

• Third, determine the central atom

We have to place the least electronegative atom at the center.

Since nitrogen is less electronegative than oxygen and fluorine, assume that the central atom is nitrogen.

Therefore, place nitrogen in the center and oxygen and fluorine on either side.

• And finally, draw the rough sketch

Lone pair

Here, we have a total of 9 electron pairs. And two bonds are already marked. So we have to only mark the remaining seven electron pairs as lone pairs on the sketch.

Also remember that all three (nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine) are the period 2 elements, so they can not keep more than 8 electrons in their last shell.

Always start to mark the lone pairs from outside atoms. Here, the outside atoms are oxygen and fluorine.

So for oxygen and fluorine, there are three lone pairs, and for nitrogen, there is one lone pair.

Mark the lone pairs on the sketch as follows:

Formal charge

Use the following formula to calculate the formal charges on atoms:

Formal charge = valence electrons – nonbonding electrons – ½ bonding electrons

For nitrogen atom, formal charge = 5 – 2 – ½ (4) = +1

For oxygen atom, formal charge = 6 – 6 – ½ (2) = -1

For fluorine atom, formal charge = 7 – 6 – ½ (2) = 0

Here, both nitrogen and oxygen atoms have charges, so mark them on the sketch as follows:

The above structure is not a stable Lewis structure because both nitrogen and oxygen atoms have charges. Therefore, reduce the charges (as below) by converting lone pairs to bonds.

Convert a lone pair of the oxygen atom to make a new N — O bond with the nitrogen atom as follows:

Final structure

The final structure of NOF features a central nitrogen atom connected to an oxygen atom by a double bond and to a fluorine atom by a single bond. In this arrangement, the nitrogen atom retains one lone pair, allowing all three atoms to successfully satisfy the octet rule. This configuration is the most stable because it results in formal charges of zero for every atom, which is more energetically favorable than alternative distributions. Consequently, this bent molecular geometry represents the definitive and most accurate Lewis representation of nitrosyl fluoride.

Next: ClF₅ Lewis structure

External video

• NOF Lewis Structure – How to Draw the Lewis Structure for NOF – YouTube • Wayne Breslyn

External links

• https://techiescientist.com/nof-lewis-structure/
• https://www.thegeoexchange.org/chemistry/bonding/Lewis-Structures/NOF-Lewis-structure.html
• https://lambdageeks.com/nof-lewis-structure/
• https://oneclass.com/homework-help/chemistry/3480720-three-possible-lewis-structure.en.html