question_answer 1)

  Identify the correct resonance structures of carbon dioxide from the ones given below : (a) \[O-C=O\]                    (b) \[O=C=O\]                   (c) \[^{-}O\equiv C-{{O}^{+}}\]                  (d) \[^{-}O-C\equiv {{O}^{+}}\]

Answer:

  (b, d) The C?O bond length is 1.15\[\overset{{}^\circ }{\mathop{\text{A}}}\,\] which is less than calculated value of double bond C = O. Thus, it is believed that \[C{{O}_{2}}\] molecule is a resonance hybrid. The structures (b) and (d) are the two possible resonance structures.