1. Count Valence Electrons:
* Carbon (C): 4 valence electrons
* Hydrogen (H): 1 valence electron
* Bromine (Br): 7 valence electrons each (3 bromine atoms = 21 electrons)
Total valence electrons: 4 + 1 + 21 = 26
2. Central Atom:
* Carbon is the least electronegative element, so it will be the central atom.
3. Single Bonds:
* Connect the central carbon atom to the hydrogen and three bromine atoms with single bonds. This uses 8 electrons (4 bonds x 2 electrons/bond).
4. Remaining Electrons:
* You have 18 electrons left (26 - 8).
* Each bromine atom needs 6 more electrons to complete its octet (8 valence electrons).
5. Complete Octet:
* Place 3 lone pairs of electrons (6 electrons each) around each bromine atom.
6. Lewis Structure:
The final Lewis structure looks like this:
```
H
|
Br - C - Br
|
Br
```
Key Points:
* The carbon atom has a complete octet with 4 bonds.
* Each bromine atom has a complete octet with 1 bond and 3 lone pairs.
* The hydrogen atom has 2 electrons (a complete duet).
