File talk:Nitrite-ion-lewis-canonical.png

Disputed diagram

User:Wickey-nl has marked this image as 'disputed':

{{disputed chem|Image should contain only two brackets. [1].}}

The square brackets currently in the image are not intended to be 'resonance brackets'. I used them to avoid putting the negative charge on any particular atom, although I am happy to change the image so that the minus sign is associated with one of the oxygen atoms in each structure.

I don't think it is mandatory to enclose resonance structures in square brackets (see, for example, Gold Book: "contributing structure"), but again, we can discuss this at Commons:WikiProject Chemistry.

Ben (talk) 13:49, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

It is at least a good custom. Square brackets are in general used to indicate the whole compound, as with coordination compounds. Especially with resonance structures it indicates that the individual structures are not isomers in an equilibrium reaction, but all together are one compound. You are right, the brackets may also be used to indicate the charge of the ion, so in this case they should be kept, but I agree it is better to put the signs directly nearby the atoms. I like "Images by Ben Mills". This face of an old grumbly man is very nice.--Wickey-nl (talk) 16:27, 30 April 2010 (UTC)

Ben removed the square brackets. DMacks (talk) 08:50, 30 January 2011 (UTC)