How to draw NF3 Lewis Structure? - Science Education and Tutorials

Q: What is the NF3 Lewis structure?

NF3 Lewis structure is dot representation

Q: What is the formal charge on the NF3 Lewis structure?

Zero charges on the NF3 molecular structure

The Nitrogen trifluoride chemical formula is NF3. Drawing NF3 Lewis Structure is very easy to by using the following method. Here in this post, we described step by step method to construct NF3 Lewis Structure. The Nitrogen and fluorine elements come as members of the nitrogen and halogen family groups from the periodic table respectively. The valence electrons in Nitrogen and fluorine are five and seven respectively. The branch of Nitrogen halogen compound chemistry is used to make chemicals reagents for organic chemical reactions.

Table of Contents

Key Points To Consider When Drawing The NF3 Electron Dot Structure

A three-step approach for drawing the NF3 Lewis structure can be used. The first step is to sketch the Lewis structure of the NF3 molecule, to add valence electrons around the Nitrogen atom; the second step is to add valence electrons to the three fluorine atoms, and the final step is to combine the step1 and step2 to get the NF3 Lewis Structure.

The NF3 Lewis structure is a diagram that illustrates the number of valence electrons and bond electron pairs in the NF3 molecule. The geometry of the NF3 molecule can then be predicted using the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR Theory), which states that molecules will choose the NF3 geometrical shape in which the electrons have from one another.

Finally, you must add their bond polarities to compute the strength of the three N-F single bonds (dipole moment properties of the NF3 molecule). The Nitrogen-fluorine bonds in Nitrogen trifluoride(NF3), for example, are polarised toward the more electronegative fluorine in NF3 molecule, and because both bonds have the same size and are located around three fluorine terminals of the trigonal pyramidal with one lone pair (in total two electrons) on the Nitrogen atom, their sum of dipole moment is nonzero due to the NF3 molecule’s bond dipole moment and more electron polarity to the fluorine atoms. Because each three N-F bonds polarity not canceled each other in the NF3 molecule due to the presence of one lone pair of electrons. The Nitrogen trifluoride(NF3) molecule is classified as a polar molecule.

The molecule of Nitrogen trifluoride (with trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry) is tilted, the bond angles between Nitrogen and fluorine are 97 degrees. It has a difference in electronegativity values between Nitrogen and fluorine atoms, with central Nitrogen’s pull being less than terminal fluorine’s in the NF3 molecule. But they do not cancel each other due to the asymmetrical trigonal pyramidal with one lone pair in the molecular geometry of the NF3 molecule.

As a result, it has the nonzero dipole moment. The NF3 molecule has a nonzero dipole moment due to an unequal charge distribution of negative and positive charges. But both Nitrogen and fluorine atoms fall on the nitrogen and halogen family groups in the periodic table respectively. The fluorine atom is a more electronegative value than Nitrogen in the NF3 molecule. The NF3 molecule has the net dipole moment of 0.24D value in the ground state energy state.

NF3 molecule has three N-F single bonds. Its dipole moment in the ground state is totally different as compared with the excited state. If it absorbs light may be from visible or UV light. It undergoes pi to pi star and n to pi star transition from ground state energy level to excited state energy level. In the excited state energy level, the NF3 molecule shows a definite dipole moment. But it is very dynamics.

Molecules can be classified as polar or nonpolar. The molecule polar behaves in a different manner as compared to nonpolar.

Overview: NF3 Lewis Structure

The central atom is Nitrogen, which is bordered on three terminals with fluorine atoms( in trigonal pyramidal geometry), and one lone pair on the central Nitrogen atom in the trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry. Nitrogen has five outermost valence electrons, indicating that it possesses five electrons in its outermost shell, whereas fluorine also has seven valence electrons in its outermost shell. To complete the octet of the Nitrogen and fluorine atoms requires three and one valence electrons on each of their outermost shell respectively.

Three fluorine atoms establish covalent connections with the central Nitrogen atom as a result, leaving the Nitrogen atom with one lone pair. There is one lone pair of electrons on the Nitrogen central atom that resists the bond pairs of the three N-F bonds. According to VSEPR theory, the single N-F bond pairs polarity lead theNF3 molecule to take on the trigonal pyramidal geometry structure.

The NF3 molecule’s three N-F bonds are arranged in symmetrical polarity order around the trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry, giving rise to the NF3 molecular shape. The NF3 molecule has a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry because there is an electrical repulsion between the lone pairs of electrons in Nitrogen and three single bond pairs(N-F) of the NF3 molecule.

Lewis structure of NF3 has dot electron representative structure. Valence electrons of atoms undergo orbitals mixing in the chemical reactions, giving new types of molecular species of NF3. The molecule is nothing but a bundle of valence electrons from the atoms. But it is converted to bond pairs and lone pairs in the molecular structure.

Electronegative value Difference Calculation of NF3 Molecule:

Nitrogen and fluorine Electronegative difference in NF3:

The Nitrogen atom has an electronegativity of 2.19, while fluorine has an electronegativity of 3.98 in the NF3 molecule. The difference in electronegativity of Nitrogen and fluorine can be estimated using the method below.

The electronegative value difference between nitrogen and fluorine in NF3 molecule
Electronegativity value of nitrogen = 2.19
Electronegativity value of fluorine= 3.98
Difference of electronegativity value between nitrogen and fluorine in NF3 molecule = 3.98 – 2.19 = 1.79
Electronegativity difference between N-F bond calculation of NF3 molecule

The electronegative difference between nitrogen and fluorine is greater than 0.5. This indicated the bond polarity moves near to polar nature. N-F bond polarity in the NF3 molecule is polar.

Because of this difference in electronegativity of Nitrogen and fluorine atoms, the NF3 molecule’s N-F bond becomes polar. The total net dipole moment of the NF3 molecule is nonzero due to the noncancellation of the bond dipole moment in the trigonal pyramidal geometry. The electronegativity of an atom is the strength with which it may attract bound electron pairs to its side. The polarity of NF3 is discussed in our previous post.

As a result, the N-F bond’s dipole moment is high due to the polarization of the bonds and one lone pair of electrons on Nitrogen, and all N-F bonds’ dipoles are arranged in the asymmetrical NF3 molecular geometry. The NF3 molecule has a nonzero net dipole moment.

The electron dot structure of the NF3 molecule is also known as the NF3 Lewis structure. It determines the number of outermost valence electrons as well as the electrons engaged in the NF3 molecule’s bond formation. The outermost valence electrons of the NF3 molecule must be understood while considering the Lewis structure of the molecule.

The Nitrogen atom is the middle element in NF3 molecular geometry, with five electrons in its outermost valence electron shell, whereas the fluorine atom has seven electrons in its outermost valence electron shell. The fluorine atom has seven valence electrons.

The NF3 has a total of 26 valence electrons as a result of the foregoing above-said reasoning. With the core central Nitrogen atom, the three terminals with three fluorine atoms form covalent bonds, leaving the Nitrogen atom with one lone pair in the middle of trigonal pyramidal geometry.

Because lone pairs on the terminal fluorine atoms create interaction with N-F bond pairs(but it is negligible in the ground state of the NF3 molecule). The bond angle of the F-N-F bond in the trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry is approximately 97 degrees. This angle is less than the CH4 molecule bond angle. The N-F bond length is 142pm(picometer).

To sketch the NF3 Lewis structure by following these instructions:

Step-1: NF3 Lewis dot Structure by counting valence electrons on the Nitrogen atom

To calculate the valence electron of each atom in NF3, look for its periodic group from the periodic table. The nitrogen and halogen group families, which are the 15th and 17th groups in the periodic table, are both made up of Nitrogen and fluorine atoms respectively. In their outermost shells, fluorine and Nitrogen have seven and five valence electrons respectively.

Calculate the total number of valence electrons in the NF3 molecule’s outermost valence shell. The first step is to determine how many electrons are in the NF3 Lewis structure’s outermost valence shell. An electron in an atom’s outermost shell is known as a valence electron. It is represented by dots in the NF3 Lewis diagram. The NF3 molecule’s core Nitrogen atom can be represented as follows:

Total outermost valence shell electron of nitrogen atom in NF3= 5
Total outermost valence shell electron of fluorine atom in NF3= 7
The NF3 molecule has one central nitrogen and three fluorine atoms. Then the total outermost valence shell electrons can be calculated as follows
∴ Total outermost valence shell electrons available for NF3 Lewis structure( dot structure) = 5+3*7= 26 valence electrons in NF3.
calculation of total valence electron of NF3 molecule

Choose the atom with the least electronegative value atom and insert it in the center of the molecular geometry of NF3. We’ll choose the least electronegative value atom in the NF3 molecule to place in the center of the NF3 Lewis structure diagram in this phase. The electronegativity value in periodic groups grows from left to right in the periodic table and drops from top to bottom.

The first step is to put five valence electrons around the Nitrogen atom as given in the figure.

Step-2: Lewis Structure of NF3 for counting valence electrons around the terminal fluorine atoms

As a result, Nitrogen is the first atom in the periodic table’s nitrogen family group. Fluorine is the first member of the halogen family. The electronegative value of the fluorine atom is higher than that of the Nitrogen atom in the NF3 molecule. Furthermore, fluorine has a seven electrons limit since Nitrogen is the less electronegative element in the NF3 molecule.

In the NF3 Lewis structure diagram, the Nitrogen atom can be the center atom of the molecule. As a result, central Nitrogen in the NF3 Lewis structure, with all three fluorine atoms arranged in a trigonal pyramidal geometry.

Add valence electrons around the fluorine atom, as given in the figure.

Step-3: Lewis dot Structure for NF3 generated from step-1 and step-2

Connect the exterior and core central atom of the NF3 molecule with three single N-F bonds. In this stage, use three fluorine atoms on the outside of the NF3 molecule to the central Nitrogen atom in the middle.

Count how many electrons from the outermost valence shell have been used in the NF3 structure so far. Each N-F single bond carries two electrons because each Nitrogen atom is connected to three fluorine atoms by three N-F single bonds. Bond pairings of N-F are what they’re called.

So, out of the total of 26 valence electrons available for the NF3 Lewis structure, we used six electrons for the NF3 molecule’s three N-F single bonds. The NF3 molecule has one lone pair of electrons in the central Nitrogen atom.

Place the valence electrons in the N-F bond pairs starting with the core Nitrogen, three fluorine atoms in the NF3 molecule. In the NF3 Lewis structure diagram, we always begin by introducing valence electrons from the central Nitrogen atom(in step1). As a result, wrap around the central Nitrogen atom’s bond pair valence electrons first (see figure for step1).

The Nitrogen atom in the molecule gets only 8 electrons around its molecular structure. This central Nitrogen atom is octet stable. But it has one lone pair. Nitrogen is a brownish solid in nature. Nitrogen catch fire in the exposure to air. But Nitrogen is used in matchboxes and firecrackers.

Fluorine(F2) is in the gaseous state at normal temperature and pressure. It is used as a fluorinating agent in the field of organic chemistry. It is a highly corrosive gas. It is responsible for dry corrosion in the metal bodies. It is very reactive to bio-micro organisms.

Nitrogen requires 8 electrons in its outermost valence shell to complete the molecular octet stability, six electrons bond pairs in three N-F single bonds, and one lone pair in the central Nitrogen atom. Then lone pair of electrons on the fluorine atoms of the NF3 molecule is placed in a trigonal pyramidal geometry. Nitrogen already shares 8 electrons to the three N-F single bonds. Then place the valence electron in the fluorine atoms, it placed around seven electrons on each atom(step-2). 18 valence electrons were placed around three fluorine atoms as lone pairs of electrons.

We’ve positioned 18 electrons around the three-terminal fluorine atoms(step-3), which is represented by a dot, in the NF3 molecular structure above. The Nitrogen atom completes its molecular octet stability in the NF3 molecule because it possesses six electrons in its (three N-F single bonds) bond pairs with three fluorine in the outermost valence shell.

Count how many outermost valence shell electrons have been used so far using the NF3 Lewis structure. three electron bond pairs are shown as dots in the NF3 chemical structure, whereas three single bonds each contain two electrons. The outermost valence shell electrons of the NF3 molecule(bond pairs) are six as a result of the calculation. The total valence electron in a Nitrogen atom is 8.

So far, we’ve used 26 of the NF3 Lewis structure’s total 26 outermost valence shell electrons. One lone pair of electrons on the Nitrogen atom in the trigonal pyramidal geometry of the NF3 molecule.

Complete the middle Nitrogen atom stability and, if necessary, apply a covalent bond. The central Nitrogen atom undergoes octet stability(due to three single bond pairs of electrons).

The core atom in the NF3 Lewis structure is Nitrogen, which is bonded to the three fluorine atoms by single bonds (three N-F). With the help of three single bonds, it already shares 8 electrons. As a result, the Nitrogen follows the octet rule and has 8 electrons surrounding it on the three terminals of the NF3 molecule’s trigonal pyramidal geometry.

How to calculate the formal charge on Nitrogen and fluorine atoms in NF3 Lewis Structure?

Calculating formal charge on the Nitrogen of NF3 molecule:

The formal charge on the NF3 molecule’s Nitrogen central atom often corresponds to the actual charge on that Nitrogen central atom. In the following computation, the formal charge will be calculated on the central Nitrogen atom of the NF3 Lewis dot structure.

To calculate the formal charge on the central nitrogen atom of the NF3 molecule by using the following formula:
The formal charge on the nitrogen atom of NF3 molecule= (V. E(N)– L.E(N) – 1/2(B.E))
V.E (N) = Valence electron in a nitrogen atom of NF3 molecule
L.E(N) = Lone pairs of an electron in the nitrogen atom of the NF3 molecule.
B.E = Bond pair electron in P atom of NF3 molecule
calculation of formal charge on nitrogen atom in NF3 molecule

The nitrogen core atom (three single bonds connected to three fluorine atoms ) of the NF3 molecule has five valence electrons, one lone pair of electrons(two electrons), and six bonding pairing valence electrons. Put these values for the nitrogen atom in the formula above.

Formal charge on nitrogen atom of NF3 molecule = (5- 2-(6/2)) =0

In the Lewis structure of NF3, the formal charge on the central Nitrogen atom is zero.

Calculating formal charge on the fluorine atom of NF3 molecule:

The formal charge on the NF3 molecule’s fluorine terminal atoms often corresponds to the actual charge on that fluorine terminal atoms. In the following computation, the formal charge will be calculated on the terminal fluorine atom of the NF3 Lewis dot structure.

To calculate the formal charge on the terminal fluorine atom of the NF3 molecule by using the following formula:
The formal charge on the fluorine atom of NF3 molecule= (V. E(F)– L.E(F) – 1/2(B.E))
V.E (F) = Valence electron in a fluorine atom oNF3 molecule
L.E(F) = Lone pairs of an electron in the fluorine atom of the NF3 molecule.
B.E = Bond pair electron in F atom of NF3 molecule
calculation of formal charge on fluorine atom in NF3 molecule

The fluorine terminal atoms of the NF3 molecule have seven valence electrons, three lone pairs of electrons(six electrons), and two bonding pairing valence electrons(single bond). Put these values for the fluorine atom in the formula above.

Formal charge on fluorine atom of NF3 molecule = (7- 6-(2/2)) =0

In the Lewis structure of NF3, the formal charge on the terminal fluorine atom is zero.

Summary:

In this post, we discussed the method to construct the NF3 Lewis structure. First, the valence electrons are placed around the phosphorus atom. Second, place the valence electron on the fluorine atoms. Finally, when we combined the first and second steps. It gives NF3 Lewis structure. Need to remember that, if you follow the above-said method, you can construct molecular dot structure very easily.