Answer to Question #280032 in General Chemistry for Venus

Question

Write the correct Lewis structure of product and show the step-by-step solution on how you came up with the structure.

HCN- highly toxin conjugate acid of a cyanide that is used as a chemical weapon agent.

Answer 1

Valency electrons

$N=5,C=4,H=1$

Central atom

To determine the central atom, Electronegativities are considered, they are;

$C=2.5,N=3.5,H=2.1$

Atoms with least electronegativity should be at the structural centre

Hydrogen is least, but it cannot take the central position.

Carbon takes the central position

Electron pair are placed between atoms

The best structure which forms the Lewis structure is