Which of the following best describes the Lewis dot structure of neutral NBr (nitrogen monobromide)?

• A. Nitrogen and bromine are connected by a single bond, with two lone pairs on bromine and two lone pairs on nitrogen.
• B. Nitrogen and bromine are connected by a triple bond, with one lone pair on bromine and no lone pairs on nitrogen.
• C. Nitrogen and bromine are connected by a single bond, with three lone pairs on bromine and one lone pair on nitrogen.
• D. Nitrogen and bromine are connected by a double bond, with two lone pairs on bromine and two lone pairs on nitrogen.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for bonding in NBr. Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons, and bromine has 7 valence electrons, so the total is \$5 + 7 = 12$ valence electrons.
2. Step 2: Connect nitrogen and bromine with a single bond first, which uses 2 electrons. Subtract these from the total valence electrons to find how many remain for lone pairs.
3. Step 3: Distribute the remaining electrons as lone pairs to satisfy the octet rule for both atoms. Remember that nitrogen typically forms three bonds and has one lone pair, while bromine usually has three lone pairs when bonded with a single bond.
4. Step 4: Check the formal charges on both atoms to ensure the most stable Lewis structure. The best structure will have formal charges closest to zero.
5. Step 5: Confirm that the nitrogen has one lone pair and bromine has three lone pairs with a single bond between them, which matches the correct Lewis structure description.