Question

Discuss the electronic structure of the methyl radical and the location of the unpaired electron (consider hybridization and that CH₃. is a planar molecule )

Answer 1

Lewis structure of methane in two dimensions using lines to denote each covalent bond, we can now draw a more accurate structure in three dimensions, showing the tetrahedral bonding geometry. To do this on a two-dimensional page, though, we need to introduce a new drawing convention: the solid / dashed wedge system. In this convention, a solid wedge simply represents a bond that is meant to be pictured emerging from the plane of the page. A dashed wedge represents a bond that is meant to be pictured pointing into, or behind, the plane of the page. Normal lines imply bonds that lie in the plane of the page.

This system takes a little bit of getting used to, but with practice your eye will learn to immediately