Shapes of Molecules

VSEPR Theory
electron pair geometry
molecular geometry
molecules with more than one central
atom
molecules with multiple bonds
Dipole moment = Qr

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 Shapes of Molecules

Molecular shape: spatial arrangement of atoms

Valence-Shell Electron-Pair Repulsion
VSEPR model
Predict the shape of the molecule, from Lewis
structures.

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 Shapes of Molecules
VSEPR Concept 1
Electron pairs around a central atom repel each other. They must
stay near the nucleus, but otherwise, they will stay as far away
from each other as possible.

# of electron arrangement of Example

domains electron pairs
2
3
4
5
6
Describes: electron pair geometry
(See Table 9.1)

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 How to determine the shape of a molecule
1. Draw the Lewis structure of the molecule.

2. Determine the electron-pair geometry (count

electron domains: double and triple bonds
counted as one domain!).

3. Focus on bonded-electron pairs ONLY to determine

the molecular geometry (MG)

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 Molecules with 4 electron domains
Electron-pair geometry will be tetrahedral
(angles near 109.5)
# of bonded placement of
atoms bonded atoms example

4
3
2
1

Placement of bonded atoms determines the Molecular

Geometry
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 VSEPR Concept 2

Add a refinement:

Unshared electron pairs

lone pairs need more
space than shared pairs.

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 VSEPR Concept 2

Consequences of VSEPR CONCEPT 2

H C N O
H H
H H
109.5 o H o H H
107 104.5o

tetrahedral trigonal bent

pyramidal

Multiple bonds repel like

lone pairs.

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 Molecules with 2 electron domains
Electron-pair geometry will be linear (angles 180o)
MG: Linear structures (bond angles 180o)

o o
180 180

Cl Be Cl
O C O

Molecules with 3 electron domains

Electron-pair geometry will be trigonal planar (angles near 120o).
MG: Trigonal planar structures for three bonded atoms.
MG: Bent structures for two bonded atoms)
120o O 124o
F
O
B C O O
F F Cl Cl

117o
111o

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 Molecules with 5 electron domains
Electron-pair geometry will be trigonal bipyramid
(angles near 180o,120o or 90o)
# of bonded MG
atoms (shape) example
5
4
3
2

2 types of sites:
axial 90 (to equatorial)
180 (to axial)
equatorial 120 (to equatorial)

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 Trigonal bipyramid

F 89o
F F
116o S 186o Br F
F
F F

seesaw T-shaped

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 Molecules with 6 electron domains
Electron-pair geometry will be octahedral
(angles near 180o, or 90o)

# of bonded MG
atoms (shape) example
6
5
4

5 bonded atoms: where does lone pair go?

All sites are equivalent.

4 bonded atoms:
Where does the second lone pair go?

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 Molecules with 6 electron domains
Electron-pair geometry will be octahedral
(angles near 180o, or 90o)

82o square
F pyramidal
F Xe F
F I F
F F F F

square planar square pyramidal

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 Molecular Shapes: Summary
Number of Number of Molecular geometry Example
electron bonded atoms
domains

2 2 linear CO2
3 3 trigonal planar BF3
3 2 bent O3
4 4 tetrahedral CH4
4 3 trigonal pyramidal NH3
4 2 bent H 2O
5 5 trigonal bipyramidal PCl5

5 4 seesaw SF4
5 3 T-shaped BrF3
5 2 linear XeF2
6 6 octahedral SF6
6 5 square pyramidal BrF5
6 4 square planar XeF4
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