VSEPR

General Chemistry I

VSEPR THEORY
Electron Pairs

Electron-Pair Geometry

Lone Pairs

VSEPR Notation

Molecular Geometry

Example

linear

AB2

linear

BeCl2

trigonal planar

AB3

trigonal planar

BF3

trigonal planar

AB2 E

bent (angular)

SO2

tetrahedral

AB4

tetrahedral

CH4

tetrahedral

AB3 E

trigonal pyramidal

NH3

tetrahedral

AB2 E2

bent (angular)

OH2

trigonal bipyramidal

AB5

trigonal bipyramidal

PCl5

trigonal bipyramidal

AB4 E

sawhorse, seesaw

SF4

trigonal bipyramidal

AB3 E2

T-shaped

ClF3

trigonal bipyramidal

AB2 E3

linear

XeF2

octahedral

AB6

octahedral

SF6

octahedral

AB5 E

square pyramidal

BrF5

octahedral

AB4 E2

square planar

XeF4

Hybridization Schemes
Electron Pairs

Hybrid Orbitals

Geometry

sp

linear

trigonal planar

tetrahedral

sp

sp

sp d

3 2

sp d

trigonal bipyramidal
octahedral