Valance Shell Electron

Pair Repulsion Theory

( VSEPR)

Prepared By: Tuba Ahmed Page 1

Introduction:
•VSEPR Theory was suggested by Sidgwick and
Powel in 1940
• It was developed by Gilllespe and Nyholm in
1957.
• Based on that in a polyatomic molecule the
direction bonds around the central atom depends
on the total number of bonding and non bonding
electron pairs in its valance shell.

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VSEPR THEORY :
•The shape of the molecule is determined by
repulsion between all of the electron present in
the valance shell.
•Electron pairs in the valence shell of the central
atom repel each other and align themselves to
minimize this repulsion.
•Lone pair electron takes up more space round the
central atom than bondpair.
•Lone pair attracted to one nucleus,but bond pair is
shared by two nuclei.
•The minimum repulsion to the state minimum
energy and maximum stability of the molecule.

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Repulsion strengths :

• Lone pair –Lone pair > Lone pair –Bond pair >
Bond pair- Bond pair

•Triple bond >double bond >single bond

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• Presence of lone pairs on the central atom causes
slight distortion of the bond angles from the ideal
shapes.

• The magnitude of repulsions between bonding

pairs of electrons depends on the electronegativity
difference between the central atom and the other
atoms.

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SHAPES OF MOLECULES
CONTAINING BONDED
PAIRS OF ELECTRON
ONLY

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Central atom with Two Electron Pairs :

There are two electron pairs in the valance shell of

Beryllium

Molecular geometry: Linear arrangement

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Central atom with Three Electron Pairs:
Trigonal Planer
Three electron pairs in the valance shell of
Boron.[1s2 2s2 2p1 ]
Molecular geometry: Trigonal planer arrangement

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Central atom with Four Electron Pairs:
Tetrahedral
Four electron in the valance shell of Carbon.
[1s2 2s2 2p2 ]
Molecular geometry- Tetrahedral
Bond angle: 109.5

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Central atom with Five Electron Pairs:
Five electron in the valance shell of
Phosphorus.[1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3]
Molecular geomerty:Trigonalbipyramid
Bond angle: 120 and 90

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Central atom with Six Electron Pairs:
Six electron in the valance shell of Sulphur.
[1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4 ]
Molecular geometry:Octahetral
Bond angle: 90

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SHAPES OF MOLECULES
CONTAINING BONDED
PAIRS AS WELL AS LONE
PAIRS OF ELECTRON

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Central atom with Four Electron Pairs:
Tetrahedral
Five electron in the valance shell of Nitrogen.
[1s2 2s2 2p3]
Molecular geometry:Tetrahedral
Electron pair arrangement: Trigonal Pyramidal
Presence of lone pair causes slight distortion from
109 to 107

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Central atom with Four Electron Pairs:
Tetrahedral
Six electrons in the valance shell of Oxygen atom.
[1s2 2s2 2p4 ]
Molecular geometry: V-Shaped or Bent shape
Electron pairarrangement: Tetrahedral
Repulsion between Lonepair-Lonepair,
Lonepair- Bondpair is possible
It causes slight distortion from 109 to 104

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Central atom with Five Electron Pairs:
Five electron in the valance shell of Sulphur.
[1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4 ]
Molecular geometry:seesaw[or distorted
octahedron
Electron pair arrangement:Trigonalbipyramidal
Lonepair-bondpair repulsion

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Central atom with Six Electron Pairs:
Seven electrons in the valance shell of Xenon.
[1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6]
Molecular geometry: square planer
Electron pairarrangement: octahedral
Lonepair- bondpair repulsion

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EFFECT OF ELECRONEGATIVITY :
Five electron in the valance shell of
Nitrogen.[1s2 2s2 2s3]
Molecular geometry:Trigonal Pyramidal
Presence of lonepair causes slight distortion from
109 to 107 to 102
Repulsion between bondpair-bondpair is less in
NF3 than NH3

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Limitations of VSEPR :
• It fails to predict the shapes of isoelectronic
species[CH4 and NH4]

•This model does not take relative size of

substituents.

•Unable to explain atomic orbitals overlap.

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