In the sulfate ion ( $S O_{4}^{2 -}$ $SO_4^(2-)$ ), how many electrons are available for bonding?

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In the sulfate ion ( $S O_{4}^{2 -}$ $SO_4^(2-)$ ), how many electrons are available for bonding?

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Answer 1 · 2016-12-03T17:37:44

There are $5 \times 6 + 2 = 32$ $5xx6+2=32$ $valence electrons$ $"valence electrons"$ , distributed around 5 centres. $12$ $12$ electrons are formally involved in bonding.

Explanation:

A typical valence bond representation of the $sulfate dianion$ $"sulfate dianion"$ is as $^{-} O_{2} S {(= O)}_{2}$ $""^(-)O_2S(=O)_2$ (this derives from the parent sulfuric acid, ${(H O)}_{2} S {(= O)}_{2}$ $(HO)_2S(=O)_2$ ). Around the sulfur centre there are 6 valence electrons, participating in single or multiple $sulfur-oxygen$ $"sulfur-oxygen"$ bonds.

What is the geometry around sulfur?

A representation of ${(H O)}_{2} S^{2 +} {(O^{-})}_{2}^{-}$ $(HO)_2""S^(2+)(O^-)_2$ is also feasible, but the sulfur oxygen double bonds are usually depicted.

Note that the electron count was simply obtained by the operation $5 \times 6 + 2 = 32$ $5xx6+2=32$ $valence electrons$ $"valence electrons"$ . Why did I add an additional 2 electrons?

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In the sulfate ion ( $S O_{4}^{2 -}$ $SO_4^(2-)$ ), how many electrons are available for bonding?

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In the sulfate ion (SO2−4SO_4^(2-)), how many electrons are available for bonding?

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In the sulfate ion ( $S O_{4}^{2 -}$ $SO_4^(2-)$ ), how many electrons are available for bonding?