A variety of chlorine oxide fluorides and related cations and anions are known. They tend to be powerful oxidizing and fluorinating agents. \(\mathrm{FClO}_{3}\) is the most stable of this group of compounds and has been studied as an oxidizing component in rocket propellants. Draw a Lewis structure for \(\mathrm{F}_{3} \mathrm{ClO}\) \(\mathrm{F}_{2} \mathrm{ClO}_{2}^{+},\) and \(\mathrm{F}_{3} \mathrm{ClO}_{2}\). What is the molecular structure for each species, and what is the expected hybridization of the central chlorine atom in each compound or ion?

To draw the Lewis structure of each molecule, we need to determine the total number of valence electrons in each molecule or ion. 1. \(\mathrm{FClO}_{3}\): F has 7 valence electrons, Cl has 7 valence electrons, and each O has 6 valence electrons. So, the total number of valence electrons is 7 + 7 + 3(6) = 33. 2. For \(\mathrm{F}_{3} \mathrm{ClO}\): 3(F) has 3(7) valence electrons, Cl has 7 valence electrons, and O has 6 valence electrons. So, the total number of valence electrons is 3(7) + 7 + 6 = 34. 3. For \(\mathrm{F}_{2}\mathrm{ClO}_{2}^{+}\): Since it has a positive charge, we subtract one electron. 2(F) has 2(7) valence electrons, Cl has 7 valence electrons, and O has 2(6) valence electrons. So, the total number of valence electrons is 2(7) + 7 + 2(6) - 1 = 32. 4. For \(\mathrm{F}_{3} \mathrm{ClO}_{2}\): 3(F) has 3(7) valence electrons, Cl has 7 valence electrons, and each O has 6 valence electrons. So, the total number of valence electrons is 3(7) + 7 + 2(6) = 36.

Now that we have calculated the total number of valence electrons, let's draw the Lewis structure for each molecule. 1. \(\mathrm{FClO}_{3}\): 📝 F ║ Cl - O - O - O ║ ║ ║ 📝 The chlorine atom has four electron domains: three bonding domains and one lone electron pair, making it an AX3E species (VSEPR theory). Therefore, the hybridization is sp3 with a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry. 2. \(\mathrm{F}_{3} \mathrm{ClO}\): 📝 O ║ F - Cl - F ║ F 📝 The chlorine atom has four electron domains: three bonding domains and one lone electron pair, making it an AX3E species (VSEPR theory). Therefore, the hybridization is sp3 with a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry. 3. \(\mathrm{F}_{2}\mathrm{ClO}_{2}^{+}\): 📝 O - Cl - F ║ O ║ F 📝 The chlorine atom has four electron domains: three bonding domains and one lone electron pair, making it an AX3E species (VSEPR theory). Therefore, the hybridization is sp3 with a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry. 4. \(\mathrm{F}_{3} \mathrm{ClO}_{2}\): 📝 O - Cl ║ O ║ F - Cl - F ║ F 📝 The chlorine atom has five electron domains: three bonding domains and two lone electron pairs, making it an AX3E2 species (VSEPR theory). Therefore, the hybridization is sp3d with a T-shaped molecular geometry. In summary, we have drawn the Lewis structures for all four molecules/ions and determined their respective molecular structures and the hybridization of the central chlorine atom.