The Molecule of Sodium Formate along with Formal Charges (in blue) and lone pair electrons (in red) is attached below.
Sodium Formate is an ionic compound made up of a positive part (Sodium Ion) and a polyatomic anion (Formate).
Nomenclature:
In ionic compounds the positive part is named first. As sodium ion is the positive part hence, it is named first followed by the negative part i.e. formate.
Name of Formate:
Formate ion has been derived from formic acid ( the simplest carboxylic acid). When carboxylic acids looses the acidic proton of -COOH, they are converted into Carboxylate ions.
E.g.
HCOOH (formic acid) → HCOO⁻ (formate) + H⁺
H₃CCOOH (acetic acid) → H₃CCOO⁻ (acetate) + H⁺
Formal Charges:
Formal charges are calculated using following formula,
F.C = [# of Valence e⁻] - [e⁻ in lone pairs + 1/2 # of bonding electrons]
For Oxygen:
F.C = [6] - [6 + 2/2]
F.C = [6] - [6 + 1]
F.C = 6 - 7
F.C = -1
For Sodium:
F.C = [1] - [0 + 0/2]
F.C = [1] - [0]
F.C = 1 - 0
F.C = +1
