Hybridisation of s & p Orbitals in the Nitrogen Atom

Ammonia Molecule ,NH3

• Electronic configuration of electron in the outermost shell of nitrogen atom is
[He] 2s2 2px1 2py1 2pz1
• The bond angle (H-N-H) of ammonia molecule is 107° (close to the tetrahedral angle of
109.5°)
→This mean that nitrogen atom uses the sp3 hybrid orbitals for forming covalent bonds
between N and H atoms.
• The bond angle of ammonia molecule is smaller than 109.5°
→because lone pair-bond repulsion ＞ bond pair-bond repulsion
• Each N-H is formed by overlapping of the s orbital of hydrogen atom with one of the
half-filled sp3 orbitals
→to give the ammonia molecule a pyramidal shape.
 In the sp3 orbitals of
nitrogen atom ,one of the
orbitals is occupied by a
° lone pair of electrons and
three sp3 orbitals are half-
filled.
 Hybridisation of s & p Orbitals in the Oxygen and Carbon
Atoms
1) Water Molecule ,NH3
• Electronic configuration of electron in the outermost shell of oxygen atom is
[He] 2s2 2px1 2py1 2pz1
• The bond angle (H-O-H) of water molecule is 104.5° ( which is less than the tetrahedral
angle of 109.5°)
• Each O-H bond is formed by overlapping of the s orbital of hydrogen atom with one of
the half-filled sp3 orbitals
→to give the water molecule a bent shape.
 Hybridisation of s & p Orbitals in the Oxygen and Carbon
Atoms
2) Hydrogen Cyanide Molecule ,HCN
• Linear molecule

 Formation of σ-bonds using sp hybrid orbitals

• Carbon atom in HCN uses sp hybrid orbitals to overlap with the
i. s orbitals of hydrogen atom to form C-H bond
ii. p orbitals of nitrogen atom to form C-N bond

 Formation of π-bond with p orbitals

• Each carbon atom still has 2 remaining unhybridised p orbitals (py & pz )
• These p orbitals undergo sideway overlapping with p orbitals of nitrogen atom to form a pair of π-
bonds
• Thus , the triple bond in HCN consist of a σ-bond and two π -bonds
 Valence Shell Electron-Pair Repulsion
 For molecules and ions that do not contain lone pairs of electron , the shape of the
molecule or ions is the same as geometry of electron-pairs.
 The shape of covalent molecules can be explained by using
a. the concept of overlapping and hybridisation of orbitals
b. the repulsion of the valence shell electron-pair
 The valence shell electron-pair repulsion theory state that
a. the electron-pair around the central atom repel to each other
b. the electron pairs arrange themselves to be as far as possible to minimise force of
repulsion
c. the force of repulsion decreases in the order :
lone pair -lone pair lone pair -bond pair bond pair - bond
repulsion ＞ repulsion ＞ pair repulsion
(strongest repulsion) (medium repulsion) (weakest repulsion )
Molecular Shape of Molecules and Ions
Molecular Shape of Molecules and Ions
Molecular Shape of Molecules and Ions
Molecular Shape of Molecules and Ions
Molecular Shape of Molecules and Ions
Effect of Lone Pair of Electrons on Bond
Angle
Ammonia
The bond angle of H-N-H is 107° which is less that
tetrahedral angle of 109.5°
The lone pair-bond pair electron repulsion is greater
than the bond pair-bond pair repulsion
→cause the decrease in bond angle
→bond pairs are pushed closer to one another cause the
bonding pairs to be smaller than the tetrahedral angle
Water molecule
The bond angle of water molecule (104.5°)is even
smaller than ammonia molecule (107°)
The repulsion between 2 lone pairs of electrons is much
greater than lone pair- bond pair repulsion.
→cause a greater decrease in bond angle