Valence-shell electron-pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory

● Assumes that each atom in a molecule will be positioned so that there is minimal
repulsion between the valence electrons of that atom.

1. LINEAR - Bond angle = 180

○ All diatomic molecules are linear.
○ Molecules with two atoms around a central atom such as BF2 are linear because
positioning the two attachments at opposite ends of the central atom minimizes
electron repulsion.
○ Generic Formula: MX or MX2 (where M is the central atom and X is are the
bonding atoms).

○
2. TRIGONAL PLANAR - Bond angle = 120
○ Molecules with three atoms around a central atom such as BF3 are trigonal
planar because electron repulsion is minimized by positioning the three
attachments toward the corners of an equilateral triangle.
○ Generic Formula: MX3 (where M is the central atom and X is are the bonding
atoms).
○
3. TETRAHEDRAL - Bond angle = 109.5
○ Molecules with four atoms around a central atom such as CH4 are tetrahedral
because electron repulsion is minimized by position the four attachments toward
the corners of a tetrahedron.
○ Generic Formula: MX4 (where M is the central atom and X is are the bonding
atoms).

○
4. TRIGONAL BIPYRAMIDAL
○ Bond angle within the equatorial plane = 120
○ Bond angle between equatorial and axial plane = 90
○ Molecules with five atoms around a central atom such as PF5 are trigonal
bipyramidal. Three of the attachments are positioned in a trigonal plane with
120 bond angles. The remaining two attachments are positioned perpendicular
 (90 ) to the trigonal plane at opposite ends of the central atom. This
arrangement of atoms minimizes electron repulsion.
○ Generic Formula: MX5 (where M is the central atom and X is are the bonding
atoms).

○
5. OCTAHEDRAL - Bond angle = 90
○ Molecules with six atoms around a central atom such as SF6 are octahedral.
Four of the attachments are positioned in a square plane with 90 bond angles.
The remaining two attachments are positioned perpendicular (90 ) to the square
plane at opposite ends of the central atom. This arrangement of atoms
minimizes repulsion.
○ Generic Formula: MX6 (where M is the central atom and X is are the bonding
atoms).

There are seven shapes for molecules with one or more pairs of nonbonding electrons.
1. BENT (ANGULAR or V-SHAPED)
○ Molecules with two atoms and one or two pairs of nonbonding electrons around a
central atom such as H2O are bent. It can be imagined that a linear molecule
with two atoms attached to a central atom is altered when electrons are added to
the top of the central atom. The repulsion caused by the addition of these extra
electrons causes the molecule to become bent. The angle of bent molecules is
less than 120 if there is one pair of nonbonding electrons and is less than 109.5
if there are two pairs of nonbonding electrons.
○ Some molecules, such as NO2 have two atoms and a single unpaired electron
around a central atom. These molecules are also bent due to the repulsion of
the single atom added to the central atom.
○ Generic Formula: MX2E or MXE2 (where M is the central atom, X is are the
bonding atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).
 ○
2. TRIGONAL PYRAMIDAL
○ Molecules with three atoms and one pair of nonbonding electrons around a
central atom such as NH3 are trigonal pyramidal. These molecules are
essentially tetrahedral molecules with one of the attached atoms replaced by a
pair of nonbonding electrons. The force of repulsion of these electrons makes
the bond angle between the attached atoms less than 109.5 . For example, in
NH3, the H-N-H bond is 107.5 .
○ Generic Formula: MX3E (where M is the central atom, X is are the bonding
atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).

○
3. SEESAW-SHAPED (DISTORTED TETRAHEDRAL)
○ Molecules with four atoms and one pair of nonbonding electrons around a central
atom such as SF4 are seesaw-shaped. These molecules are essentially trigonal
bipyramidal molecules with one of the equatorial-positioned atoms (in the trigonal
plane) replaced by a pair of nonbonding electrons. This leaves the two axial-
positioned atoms and two of the equatorial-positioned atoms in the shape of a
seesaw or a teeter-totter.
○ Generic Formula: MX4E (where M is the central atom, X is are the bonding
atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).

○
4. T-SHAPED
 ○ Molecules with three atoms and two pairs of nonbonding electrons around a
central atom such as ClF3 are T-shaped. These molecules are essentially
trigonal bipyramidal molecules with two of the equatorial-positioned atoms (in the
trigonal plane) each replaced by a pair of nonbonding electrons. This leaves the
two axial-positioned atoms and one of the equatorial-positioned atoms in a T-
shape.
○ Generic Formula: MX3E2 (where M is the central atom, X is are the bonding
atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).

○
5. LINEAR
○ Molecules with two atoms and three pairs of nonbonding electrons around a
central atom such as XeF2 are linear. These molecules are essential trigonal
bipyramidal molecules with all three of the equatorial-positioned atoms (in the
trigonal plane) each replaced by a pair of nonbonding electrons. This leaves only
the two axial-positioned atoms which are still 180 from each other on opposite
ends of the central atom.
○ Generic Formula: MX2E3 (where M is the central atom, X is are the bonding
atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).

○
6. SQUARE PYRAMIDAL
○ Molecules with five atoms and one pair of nonbonding electrons around a central
atom such as BrF5 are square pyramidal. These molecules are essentially
octahedral molecules with one of the attached atoms replaced by a pair of
nonbonding electrons. This leaves four atoms in a plane as a square base and
one atom positioned perpendicular (90 ) to this plane.
 ○ Generic Formula: MX5E (where M is the central atom, X is are the bonding
atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).

○
7. SQUARE PLANAR
○ Molecules with four atoms and two pairs of nonbonding electrons around a
central atom such as XeF4 are square planar. These molecules are essentially
octahedral molecules with two of the attached atoms opposite each other around
the central atom each replaced by a pair of nonbonding electrons. This leaves
four atoms in a square plane.
○ Generic Formula: MX4E2 (where M is the central atom, X is are the bonding
atoms, and E are nonbonding pairs of electrons).

○
Hybridization - A mixture of two or more atomic orbitals.
Generic Number of Places Molecular Shape Hybridization
Formula Where Electrons
are Found

MX 1 linear ---

MX2 2 linear sp

MX3 3 trigonal planar sp2

MX2E 3 bent (angular, v- sp2

shaped)

MX4 4 tetrahedral sp3

MX3E 4 trigonal pyramidal sp3

MX2E2 4 bent (angular, v- sp3
shaped)

MX5 5 trigonal bipyramidal sp3d

MX4E 5 seesaw (distorted sp3d

tetrahedral)

MX3E2 5 T-shaped sp3d

MX2E3 5 linear sp3d

MX6 6 octahedral sp3d2

MX5E 6 square pyramidal sp3d2

MX4E 6 square planar sp3d2