What is the electronic structure of formaldehyde?

1 Answer
Jan 5, 2017

In formaldehyde....................?

Explanation:

The carbon centre is sp2hybridized.........

There are 4 valence electrons to distribute around carbon. Three of these electrons are sp2hybridized, and they form 2×CH, and 1×CO, bonds. The fourth carbon electron remains unhybridized, and can overlap with an oxygen electron to form a πbond, above and below the plane of the sp2 framework.

A Lewis structure of H2C=O reflects this arrangement. Most of the time it is supplied in the lab as formalin, an aqueous solution. Paraformaldehyde, (CH2O)3 is a cylic trimer, that can be used as a substitute.