This carbon has too many bonds. It violates the octet rule.
This structure follows the octet rule, but it violates
the formal charge theory. Oxygen prefers to have two
bonds and two lone pairs. This structure has three lone
pairs and only one bond, and thus, the oxygen has a
-1 formal charge. Thus, the problem is that the picture
does not identify the correct formal charge.
This species is not stable. You will see this species in
organic chemistry as a transition between reactants and
products.
Return to Master Alchemist Index