Lewis structure of CO3-²

Question

Draw the Lewis structure of CO3-²

Answer 1

Valence electrons = 4 for C, + 18 for the three oxygens + 2 for the negative 2 charge = 24 v.e.

Place C in the center and place the 3 O atoms around it, each with 3 pairs of electons.

That uses up all 24 valence electrons, but the octet rule isn't satisfied.

move one lone pair from one O atom to make a double bond with the C atom

This now makes every atom have 8 electrons and satisfies the octet rule

Finally, place brackets around the structure and place a 2- outside to show it's a -2 ion.

You should have 2 single bonded oxygens to the C and these oxygens should both have 3 lone pairs of electrons. The third oxygen atom is double bonded to the C atom and it has 2 lone pairs of electrons.