UNIT 2: BONDING (PART 4)

 VSEPR THEORY
o REGION OF HIGH ELECTRON DENSITY
o VSEPR THEORY
o ELECTRONIC GEOMETRY
o MOLECULAR GEOMETRY
o POLARITY

 VALENCE BOND THEORY

o HYBRIDIZATION
o TYPES OF HYBRID ORBITALS

 GUIDELINES TO STUDY SOME STRUCTURES

VALENCE SHELL ELECTRON PAIR REPULSION (VSEPR)
THEORY

REGIONS OF HIGH ELECTRON DENSITY OR CONCENTRATION

(r.h.e.d.)
Around each central atom, the regions of high electron density are determined as
follows:
1- Each atom around a central atom is considered as ONE r.h.e.d., regardless of
its number of bonds with the central atom.
2- Each lone pair on the central atom is considered as ONE r.h.e.d.

VSEPR THEORY
 The basic idea of the VSEPR theory is the following: Regions of high electron
density repel each other. Therefore, they need to be arranged as far apart from
each other as possible around the central atom.
 Most molecules and polyatomic ions have: 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 r.h.e.d.

ELECTRONIC GEOMETRY
 The electronic geometry describes the arrangement of the r.h.e.d, around the
central atoms. With 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 regions we have 5 different electronic
geometries.

# r.h.e.d. electronic geometry

2 regions linear

3 regions trigonal

4 regions tetrahedral

5 regions trigonal bipyramidal

6 regions octahedral
MOLECULAR GEOMETRY
 The molecular geometry describes the arrangement of atoms around the central
atom. The molecular geometry is deduced from the electronic geometry.
Therefore, when determining the molecular geometry, we have to do the
following (in the following order):
- Determine the number of rhed.
- Determine the electronic geometry.
- If the central atom does not have lone pairs, then the molecular geometry is
the same as the electronic geometry.
- If the center atom has lone pairs, determine their positions in the electronic
geometry.
- Determine the molecular geometry based on the positions of the bonded
atoms.
NOTE: The relative magnitudes of the repulsive forces between pairs of
electrons around the central atoms are: lp/lp >> lp/bp >> bp/bp.

POLARITY
 When two different atoms share electrons, the difference in electronegativity
is not zero and a polar covalent bond forms. Therefore, all heteronuclear
diatomic molecules are polar, HCl, HF, CO. In such cases, the entire molecule
acts as a dipole and the polarity of the molecule can be quantitatively
expressed by calculating the dipole moment.
 When a molecule consists of more than 2 atoms, we must take into
consideration the molecular geometry to determine whether the bonds dipoles
are arranged in a way that they cancel resulting in a non-polar molecule, or in a
way where they do not cancel resulting in a polar molecule.

For a molecule to be polar, two conditions must be met:

1- We must have at least one polar bond or one lone pair on the central
atom.
2- The arrangements of the polar bonds will determine if the molecule is
polar or not. The same applies for lone pairs.
Please note:
 A larger electronegativity difference between 2 atoms produces a more
polar bond.
 If there is one polar bond only, the molecule is polar. If there are two
polar bonds or more, the molecule does not have to be polar. The same
applies for lone pairs. Refer to the geometrical arrangements!!
 A molecule, which is non-polar, has a dipole moment equal to zero.
VALENCE BOND THEORY (VB)
This theory describes how bonds occur. It postulates that covalent bonds are
formed when atomic orbitals on different atoms overlap so that electrons are
shared in the regions of orbital overlap.  Because of this overlap, new
“hyrbridized” orbitals are created.

HYBRIDIZATION
It is the mixing of sets of atomic orbitals on the central atom to form a new set of
orbitals called hybrid orbitals.
NOTES:
 Hybrid orbitals have properties and energies intermediate between those of
pure atomic orbitals.
 Hybrid orbitals have the same electron capacity as pure atomic orbitals.
This means each hybrid orbital holds two electrons just like an atomic
orbital.
 These new hybridized atomic orbitals occupy the correct regions in space
that allow for the given electronic geometry around the atom to form.

TYPES OF HYBRID ORBITALS

sp hybrid orbitals

They result from the combination of a one s atomic orbital and a one p atomic orbital. As a
result of this combination, two sp orbitals form and they will occupy a linear geometry. The
two sp orbitals have the same energy. This energy is between the energy of the s and p orbitals.
An sp orbital has 50% s and 50% p properties.

sp2 hybrid orbitals

They result from the combination of :

How many sp2 hybrid orbitals form?

What is the geometry they adopt around the central atom?

s and p properties:
sp3 hybrid orbitals

They result from the combination of:

How many sp3 hybrid orbitals form?

What is the geometry they adopt around the central atom?

s and p properties:

sp3d hybrid orbitals

They result from the combination of:

How many sp3d hybrid orbitals form?

What is the geometry they adopt around the central atom?

s, p, and properties:

sp3d2 hybrid orbitals

They result from the combination of:

How many sp3d2 hybrid orbitals form?

What is the geometry they adopt around the central atom?

s, p, and d properties:
GUIDELINES TO STUDY SOME STRUCTURES
In order to study the structures of some molecules and polyatomic ions, we
will do that following:
1. Draw the Lewis structure.
2. Use the VSEPR theory to describe the electronic geometry, the
molecular geometry, and the polarity.
3. Use the VB theory to describe in details the bonding in the molecule.