Some chemists believe that satisfaction of the octet rule should be the top criterion for choosing the dominant Lewis structure of a molecule or ion. Other chemists believe that achieving the best formal charges should be the top criterion. Consider the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H₂PO₄^-, in which the H atoms are bonded to O atoms. (a) What is the predicted dominant Lewis structure if satisfying the octet rule is the top criterion?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons in the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO4-. Phosphorus (P) has 5 valence electrons, each oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, and each hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron. The ion has an overall charge of -1, which means you add one more electron to the total count.
2. Step 2: Arrange the atoms with phosphorus (P) as the central atom, since it is less electronegative than oxygen (O). Connect each of the four oxygen atoms to the phosphorus atom with single bonds initially.
3. Step 3: Distribute the remaining valence electrons to satisfy the octet rule for the oxygen atoms first. Each oxygen atom should have 8 electrons around it, including the electrons in the bonds.
4. Step 4: If there are not enough electrons to satisfy the octet rule for all atoms, consider forming double bonds between phosphorus and one or more oxygen atoms. This will help distribute the electrons more effectively while still aiming to satisfy the octet rule.
5. Step 5: Ensure that the hydrogen atoms are bonded to the oxygen atoms, as specified in the problem. Check that all atoms (except hydrogen, which follows the duet rule) satisfy the octet rule, and adjust the structure if necessary to achieve this.