Hi, this is Dr. B. Let's do the Lewis structure
for NCl3, nitrogen trichloride.
On the periodic table, Nitrogen is in group
5, sometimes called 15, so it has 5 valence
electrons.
And then Chlorine is in group 7 or 17, and
it has 7 valence electrons.
We do have three Chlorine atoms, so let's
multiply that by three.
So 5 plus 21: 26 valence electrons to work
with.
Nitrogen's the least electronegative, so Nitrogen
goes right there at the center, and we'll
put the Chlorines around it like that.
And we have 26 valence electrons to distribute
around these atoms.
Let's put a pair between these atoms to form
some chemical bonds, some single bonds.
So we've used 6, and then we'll do the outer
atoms.
Six, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and
we'll put the last two, 26, right there, and
so we've used all 26.
So now we need to look and see if we've fulfilled
the octets for each of the atoms.
Nitrogen, in the center right there, has 2,
4, 6, 8, so that has an octet.
And then each of the Chlorines has eight,
as well.
So those have octets.
We've used all 26 valence electrons.
That's it: that's the Lewis structure for
NCl3.
We can also take and draw it as a structural
formula, and that is going to look just like
this right here.
Pull it in for you...Lewis structure for NCl3.
This is Dr. B., and thanks for watching.
