Week 0

Question 1

Having more resonance structures means a compound is more or less acidic?

Answer 1

More acidic! The resonance structures stabilize the negative charge when it’s deprotonated, making it easier to deprotonate.

Question 2

Having more resonance structures means a compound is more or less basic?

Answer 2

Less basic! The resonance structure stabilize the negative charge, meaning it wants a proton less than it otherwise would

Question 3

Which is more basic, something with an oxygen or something with a sulfur?

Answer 3

The thing with the oxygen. The sulfur has a bigger ionic radius than the oxygen (lower on the periodic table in the same row), which means it makes weaker bonds with hydrogens. It’s more acidic, so less basic.

Question 4

How to rank resonance structures?

Answer 4

1. Structures with max number of full octets are the best
2. Charges should be located on atoms with compatible electronegativity
3. Structures with less separation of opposite charges are more important resonance contributors than those with no charge separation

Question 5

Resonance structures are “not significant” if they:

Answer 5

1. Have an empty orbital on an electronegative atom
2. Have more than one atom with an unfilled octet
3. have more than three formal charges