What is the most stable Lewis strucutre for a fulminate anion

1 answer

The fulminate anion, CNO-, has a Lewis structure in which carbon is the central atom bonded to nitrogen and oxygen.

The most stable Lewis structure for the fulminate anion is as follows:


/ \
N O
/
C

In this structure, carbon forms a triple bond with nitrogen, and a single bond with oxygen. This arrangement allows for the fulfillment of the octet rule for all atoms in the molecule, minimizing the formal charges on each atom. Carbon has a formal charge of 0, nitrogen has a formal charge of -1, and oxygen has a formal charge of +1. Overall, the molecule has a net charge of -1, which is consistent with the fulminate anion.