Does NO₂⁻ have resonance structures?

Yes, NO₂⁻ has 2 resonance structures.

Lewis Structure of NO₂⁻ (Nitrite Ion)

Q: How do you draw the Lewis structure of NO₂⁻?

NO₂⁻ has 18 valence electrons. Nitrogen is central, bonded to two oxygens. Two single bonds use 4 electrons; 14 remain. Distribute: 3 lone pairs on each O (12 e⁻) + 1 on N (2 e⁻) = 14. N only has 6 e⁻ — needs 8.

What is the Lewis structure of NO₂⁻?

NO₂⁻ has 18 valence electrons, 3 bonding electron pairs, and 6 lone pairs. NO₂⁻ has 18 valence electrons (17 + 1 for the charge). Two resonance structures exist where the double bond alternates between the two N–O bonds. Brackets with a -1 superscript indicate the overall charge.

Lewis structure of NO₂⁻ (Nitrite Ion)

Formula	NO₂⁻
Name	Nitrite Ion
Total Valence Electrons	18
Lone Pairs	6
Has Resonance	Yes
Resonance Structures	2
Concept	Polyatomic Ion
Difficulty	Advanced

Step 1: Count Valence Electrons

N has 5, each O has 6, plus 1 for the negative charge: 5 + 6 + 6 + 1 = 18.

Step 2: Draw the Skeleton

Nitrogen is central, bonded to two oxygens. Two single bonds use 4 electrons; 14 remain.

Step 3: Distribute Lone Pairs

Distribute: 3 lone pairs on each O (12 e⁻) + 1 on N (2 e⁻) = 14. N only has 6 e⁻ — needs 8.

Step 4: Form Multiple Bonds

Convert 1 lone pair from an O to a π bond: N=O double bond. N now has 8 electrons.

Step 5: Check Formal Charges

N: FC = 5 - 2 - ½(6) = 0
O (single bond): FC = 6 - 6 - ½(2) = -1
O (double bond): FC = 6 - 4 - ½(4) = 0
Sum = 0 + (-1) + 0 = -1, matching the ion charge.

Resonance Structures

NO₂⁻ has 2 resonance structures. The actual electronic structure is a hybrid of all resonance contributors.

Resonance structure 2

Interactive Lewis structure builder with guided walkthroughs and practice quizzes.

Build the NO₂⁻ Lewis Structure Step by Step