Answer
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Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons in the OCl\_{2} molecule.
The total number of valence electrons in a molecule is the sum of the valence electrons of each atom. Oxygen (O) is in group 6 and has 6 valence electrons, while Chlorine (Cl) is in group 7 and has 7 valence electrons. Since there are two Chlorine atoms in OCl\_{2}, the total number of valence electrons is: \text{Total valence electrons} = 6 (\text{Oxygen}) + 2 \times 7 (\text{Chlorine}) = 26 \text{ valence electrons}
Step 2: Draw the skeletal structure of the molecule.
To draw the skeletal structure, place the least electronegative atom, Oxygen, in the center, and connect it to the other atoms with single bonds. In this case, there is only one Oxygen atom and two Chlorine atoms, so the structure is already determined: ``` O - Cl - O ```
Final Answer
The Lewis structure for OCl\_{2} is shown above, with Oxygen having a formal charge of + 1 and Chlorine having a formal charge of 0.
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