Activity 3: Review of Lewis Structures, Electron Pair Geometry and Molecular Shape:

Drawing Lewis Structures

1. Count up the total number of VALENCE electrons. Recall that for the representative elements (A
groups) the number of valence electrons = ______________________.)

2. Place 1 bond between the central atom and all terminal atoms. (The central atom is usually written first
in the chemical formula.)

3. Distribute remaining electrons pairs equally among the terminal atoms as lone pairs, until each terminal
atom has a complete octet. (NOTE: hydrogen is an exception and only needs 1 pair of electrons).

4. If there are extra electron pairs after each terminal atom has an octet, place remaining pairs as lone pairs
on the central atom. (NOTE: a central atom from the third period or greater can have more than 4 pair.)

5. If the central atom does not have a complete octet after all electrons have been distributed, make lone
pairs on terminal atoms into multiple bonds (double or triple bonds).
(NOTE: never make multiple bonds to halogens)

Exceptions to Octet Rule:

1. H needs only ______________

2. Molecules in which central atom has more than 4 pair. (When central atom is from period three or
greater it can have more than 4 pair of e– because
_____________________________________________).

3. Molecules having an odd number of electrons, (several contain N, and the odd electron is on the N)

4. Molecules in which the central atom has less than 4 pair of e– (central atom = B, or Be)

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1) When drawing Lewis structures, many elements must have the “stable octet.” What does the stable
octet (magic number 8”) represent?

2a( Why does H only need to be surrounded by 1 pair and not 4 pair of electrons?

2b) Which elements can be surrounded by more than 8 electrons and why?

3) Define electron pair number (EPN) about an atom (or regions of electron densities)

4) Identify the EPG (electron pair geometry) for EPN = 2 through 6 and draw 3D sketches

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5) Explain the difference between EPG and molecular shape.

6) Draw complete Lewis structure for the following and identify the EPN and EPG (electron pair
geometry) about the central atom, and molecular shape of each of the following. Also draw a 3D sketch of
each molecule

a) PF3 b) NO2— c) ClF3 d) XeF4

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7a) Arrange the following in order of increasing electron-electron repulsion:

lone pair-lone pair: bonding pair-lone pair bonding pair-bonding pair

7b) What is predicted bond angle in NF3?

a) equal to 109.5° b) equal to 90° c) slightly less than 109.5°
c) slightly less than 90° d) slightly greater than 109.5°
c) slightly greater than 90°

8) Do lone pairs in the trigonal bipyramid occupy axial or equatorial sites and why?

9) What is the EPG for EPN = 4 as predicted by VSPER theory and what is the bond angle?

10) Draw a 3D sketch of a tetrahedral geometry as a:

a) “tripod” with a top

b) “double V”

c) opposite corners of a cube

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12) Complete the tables distributed in lecture by identifying EPG, molecular shape and polarity of the
molecules.

Polarity and Dipole Moments: Reference Housecroft 3rd Edition: pp. 44 & 45
(2nd Edition: pp 39 & 40)

13) Give the equation for dipole moment of a diatomic XY molecule.

14) The bond length of HF is 92 pm, and the dipole moment is 1.83 D. Determine the charge distribution
in the molecule.

15) The bond length in ClF is 163 pm. If the charge distribution is 0.11, find the molecular dipole moment
is units of debyes (D.)

16) Under what conditions is a polyatomic molecule having polar bonds nonpolar?

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17) Identify whether the following molecules are polar or nonpolar. For polar molecules draw a 3D sketch
of the molecule and an arrow showing the net dipole.

a) CS2

b) SO2

c) SF2

d) SO3

e) PF5

f) ClF3

g) XeF4

h) XeF2

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i) BrCl5

j) SF4

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# EPG shape Polarity: (p, np)
hybrization
1 CH2Cl2 tetrahedral tetrahedral p
2 NO2— Trigonal planar Bent, angular or V shaped p
3 SeF4 Trigonal bipyramid See-saw or sawhorse p
4 SF6 octahedral octahedral np
5 PCl3 tetrahedral Trigonal pyramid p
6 PCl5 Trigonal bipyramid Trigonal bipyramid np
7 XeF2 Trigonal bipyramid linear np
8 SF42— octahedral Square planar np
9 SO42— tetrahedral tetrahedral np
10 COCl2 Trigonal planar Trigonal planar p
11 NCO— linear linear p
12 ClF3 Trigonal bipyramid T shaped p
13 ClF5 octahedral Square pyramid p
14 N2O linear linear p
15 SF2 tetrahedral Bent, angular or V shaped p
16 PF6— octahedral octahedral np
17 NH2F tetrahedral Trigonal pyramid p
18 XeF4 octahedral Square planar np
19 CS2 linear linear np
20 H2O tetrahedral Bent, angular or V shaped p
21 O3 Trigonal planar Bent, angular or V shaped np
22 I3— Trigonal bipyramid linear np
23 BrF32— octahedral T shaped p
24 SF3— Trigonal bipyramid T shaped p

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