Is #"CO"# neutral??

1 Answer
Truong-Son N.
Jun 22, 2016

Yes.

In carbon monoxide, we have one carbon and one oxygen.

The typical number of valence electrons carbon atom has is #4#, and that for oxygen atom is #6#, giving a total of #10# valence electrons to distribute.

The major resonance structure for #"CO"# is:

#stackrel((-))( :"C")-=stackrel((+))("O": )#

and you can count the #10# valence electrons on the structure. #2# in one #sigma# bond, #2# for each of two #pi# bonds, and two lone pairs, makes #10#.

When determining formal charges...

  • We assume that the bonds between carbon and oxygen are perfectly covalent.
  • That means cleaving each individual bond gives one electron to carbon and one electron to oxygen.

The formal charge on carbon is:

#"valence"# #-# #"'owned'" = 4 - 5 = color(green)(-1)#

The formal charge on oxygen is:

#"valence"# #-# #"'owned'" = 6 - 5 = color(green)(+1)#

Hence, the total charge is #-1+1 = color(blue)(0)#, proving that #"CO"# is neutral.

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