Oxygen Compounds of Nonmetallic Elements

In Section 8-1 of this chapter we shall examine the oxycompounds of chlorine, as an example. The following sections present a survey of the oxycompounds of other nonmetallic elements. 

Chlorine forms a normal-valence oxide, CI2O. ., a normal- 

Dichlorine monoxide, CI2O, is a yellow gas obtained by passing chlorine over mercuric oxide  

The gas condenses to a liquid at about 4°C. It is the anhydride of hypo-chlorous acid that is, it reacts with water to give hypochlorous acid  

For this structure each chlorine atom has covalence 7, corresponding to its group in the periodic table. In the formation of seven covalent bonds the chlorine atom may make use of three 3d orbitals, together with its 3s and 3p orbitals. 

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Sulfur [7704-34-9] S, a nonmetallic element, is the second element of Group 16 (VIA) of the Periodic Table, coming below oxygen and above selenium. In massive elemental form, sulfur is often referred to as brimstone. Sulfur is one of the most important taw materials of the chemical industry. It is of prime importance to the fertilizer industry (see Fertilizers) and its consumption is generally regarded as one of the best measures of a nation s industrial development and economic activity (see Sulfur compounds Sulfurremoval and recovery Sulfuric acid and sulfur trioxide). 

We can often decide whether a substance is an ionic compound or a molecular compound by examining its formula. Binary molecular compounds are typically formed from two nonmetals (such as hydrogen and oxygen, the elements in water). Ionic compounds are typically formed from the combination of a metallic element with nonmetallic elements (such as the combination of potassium with sulfur and oxygen to form potassium sulfate, K2S04). Ionic compounds typically contain one metallic element the principal exceptions are compounds containing the ammonium ion, such as ammonium nitrate, which are ionic even though all the elements present are nonmetallic. 

Carbon and oxygen are like hydrogen and oxygen when it comes to the question of sharing or transferring electrons. Neither atom is able to attract electrons away from the other atom. In fact, two nonmetallic elements usually achieve stability by sharing electrons to form a covalent compound. On the other hand, if the reacting atoms are a metal and a nonmetal, they are much more likely to transfer electrons and form an ionic compound. 

Based on your knowledge of the most common bonding patterns for the nonmetallic elements, predict the formulas with the lowest subscripts for the compounds that would form from the following pairs of elements. (For example, hydrogen and oxygen can combine to form H2O and H2O2, but H2O has lower subscripts.)... 

Nonmetals can exist in both positive and negative oxidation states. This means, for example, that nonmetallic elements tend to readily form compounds with both hydrogen and oxygen. Examples of such compounds are CO, CH, NO, and NH3. 

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