Resonance Structures: Example 1

What we learned:

• When drawing resonance structures, we first need to identify which atoms are sp and sp2 hybridized
  • Only sp and sp2 hybridized atoms can participate in resonance structures
• The next thing we can do is move pi bonds or electrons around within the structure
  • Usually we want to change the “type” of electron pair it is
    • Turn a pi bond into a lone pair, or turn a lone pair into a pi bond
• Once formal charges are created, we want to move them around everywhere we can
  • Once we have moved the formal charge everywhere it can go, we are done
  • It is important to note that creating a second set of formal charges would make the resonance structure too unstable