CHM1102

Lecture 16
Patrick
Ketwaru
 Lewis
• Structure
Lewis structure is a method of keeping track of
the valence electrons atoms, ions and
compounds by the use of the element’s symbol
and dots
• The dots are used to represent electrons
• A bond is made up of two electrons between
two atoms
• Lone pairs are shown as paired dots and a
single electron is shown as a single dot
• All the valence electrons are accounted for in
the Lewis structure
Lewis Symbol
 Polyatomic Lewis
•
•
CountStructures
the number of valence electron on each atom
Divide this number by two to determine the number of electron
pairs
e.g. HCN has 1+4+5 = 10 electrons 10/2 = 5 electron pairs
• Write the chemical symbols to show their layout in the molecule
• Identify the terminal atoms (bonded to only one other atom)
• Identify the central atom(s), atoms bonded to more than one
other
atoms
• The central atom is usually the atom with the lowest
ionization energy or lowest electronegativity
• Place an electron pair between each pairs of bonded atoms
• Complete the duplet or octet of each atom. This may have
some
degree of trial and error
 Resonance
• Structure
It may not be possible to represent some
structures using one Lewis Structure
• Each structure is a valid structure but
measurements show that in reality the structure is
a blend of the possible structures called a
Resonance Hybrid Structure
 Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSPER)
Model
• Based on how the location of the electron pairs interact
electrostatically to influence the shape of the molecule in a
three dimensional space

• Bond pairs and lone pairs take up spatial locations to maximize

their separation
• Multiple bonds are treated as a single unit (bond)

• The strengths of the repulsion are:

– Lone Pair – Lone Pair>Lone Pair – Bond Pair> Bond Pair – Bond
Pair

• When naming the shape of the molecule the position of the

lone pair is ignored, only the shape the bond pairs and central
atom form is considered
• Generic formula AXnEm can be used.
A = Central Atom; X = Attached Atom ; E = Lone Pair
Shapes of
Molecules
 Hybridization
• Based on the energy levels, electrons can be found
in s, p, d, and f sub shells and orbitals which have
specific geometries around the nucleus

• When atoms bond, orbitals may change energy

levels to facilitate bonding

• This can usually lead to different orbitals mixing

thereby attaining equal energy levels and
distinct spatial geometries

• This process of the mixing and formation of new

spatial geometry of the orbitals is called
Hybridization
sp3 hybridisation
 Hybrid
•
Orbitals
Hybrid Orbitals are named by
using the orbitals that they
were formed from
• sp3 - 1 s and 3 p orbitals
• sp2 - 1 s and 2 p orbitals
• Use of d orbitals also possible
Shapes of
Molecules