VSEPR Molecular Shape Table

The table below summarizes the molecular and electron-pair geometries for different combinations of bonding groups and nonbonding pairs of electrons on the central atom. Sn = Steric Number

# of lone pair electrons on 'central' atom

# of atoms bound to the 'central' atom

Sn = m+ n

Electron -pair eometr ! linear trigonal planar trigonal planar tetrahedral

"olecul ar eometr ! Linear trigonal planar bent tetrahedral trigonal pyramida l bent trigonal pyramida l

#ond $ngle

0 0 1 0

2 3 2 4

2 3 3 4

180 120 less than 120 109.5

tetrahedral

107

tetrahedral trigonal bipyrami dal trigonal bipyrami dal trigonal bipyrami dal trigonal bipyrami dal o"tahedral o"tahedral

105 90, 120 and 180

seesaw

90, 120 and 180

T shaped

90 and 180

linear

180

0 1

! 5

! !

o"tahedral s#$are

90 and 180 90 and 180

pyramida l 2 4 ! o"tahedral s#$are planar 90 and 180

Note% for bent molecular geometr! when the electron-pair geometr! is trigonal planar the bond angle is slightl! less than &'( degrees) around &&* degrees. +or trigonal p!ramidal geometr! the bond angle is slightl! less than &(,.- degrees) around &(. degrees. +or bent molecular geometr! when the electron-pair geometr! is tetrahedral the bond angle is around &(degrees
%t this point we are ready to e&plore the three dimensional str$"t$re o' simple mole"$lar ("o)alent* "ompo$nds and polyatomi" ions. +e will $se a model "alled the ,alen"e -hell .le"tron /air 0ep$lsion (,-./0* model that is based on the rep$lsi)e beha)ior o' ele"tron pairs. This model is 'airly power'$l in its predi"ti)e "apa"ity. To $se the model we will ha)e to memori1e a "olle"tion o' in'ormation. The table abo)e "ontains se)eral "ol$mns. +e already ha)e a "on"ept o' bonding pair o' ele"trons and non bonding pairs o' ele"trons. 2onding pairs o' ele"trons are those ele"trons shared by the "entral atom and any atom to whi"h it is bonded. 3on bonding pairs o' ele"trons are those pairs o' ele"trons on an indi)id$al atom that are not shared with another atom. 4n the table below the term bonding gro$ps (se"ond 'rom the le't "ol$mn* is $sed in the "ol$mn 'or the bonding pair o' ele"trons. 5ro$ps is a more generi" term. 5ro$p is $sed when a "entral atom has two terminal atoms bonded by single bonds and a terminal atom bonded with two pairs o' ele"trons (a do$ble bond*. 4n this "ase there are three gro$ps o' ele"trons aro$nd the "entral atom and the mole"$alr geometry o' the mole"$le is de'ined a""ordingly. The term ele"tron pair geometry is the name o' the geometry o' the ele"tron pairs on the "entral atom, whether they are bonding or non bonding. 6ole"$lar geometry is the name o' the geometry $sed to des"ribe the shape o' a mole"$le. The ele"tron pair geometry pro)ides a g$ide to the bond angles o' between a terminal "entral terminal atom in a "ompo$nd. The mole"$lar geometry is the shape o' the mole"$le. -o when as7ed to des"ribe the shape o' a mole"$le we m$st respond with a mole"$lar geometry. 4' as7ed 'or the ele"tron pair geometry on the "entral atom we m$st respond with the ele"tron pair geometry. 3oti"e that there are se)eral e&amples with the same ele"tron pair geometry, b$t di''erent mole"$lar geometries. 8o$ sho$ld note that to determine the shape (mole"$lar geometry* o' a mole"$le yo$ m$st write the Lewis str$"t$re and determine the n$mber o' bonding gro$ps o' ele"trons and the n$mber o' non bonding pairs o' ele"trons on the "entral atom, then $se the asso"iated name 'or that shape. The table abo/e summarizes the molecular and electron-pair geometries for different combinations of

bonding groups and nonbonding pairs of electrons on the central atom