VSEPR Theory • Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory • VSEPR says: A molecule adopts the geometry that minimizes the repulsive force among a given number of electron groups.
VSEPR Theory • The arrangement of electron groups that minimizes repulsion is called the electronpair geometry. – “electron groups” bonding groups (single/double/triple bond) unshared pairs
VSEPR Theory • The arrangement of electron groups that minimizes repulsion is called the electronpair geometry. • The resulting arrangement of atoms (in terms of bond lengths and bond angles) is called the molecular geometry.
VSEPR Theory • There are five electron-pair geometries: – Linear – Trigonal planar – Tetrahedral – Trigonal bipyramidal – Octahedral • There additional molecular geometries when unshared pairs are present.
CH 4 Tetrahedral Electron-Pair Geo and Molecular Geo
NH 3
H 2 O
Trigonal Planar e- pair geometry
PCl 5 Trigonal Bipyramidal e- pair geo and molecular geo
SF 4 Br. F 3
Expanded Octets and Electron-Pair Repulsions
SF 4
Br. F 3
Xe. F 4
Larger Molecules. (ex) Glycine:
Molecular Polarity H 2 O
Molecular Polarity CCl 4 vector addition – see p. 440