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    VSEPR Theory

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    Bipin Aryal

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    VSEPR Theory

    Uploaded by

    Bipin Aryal
    26 views31 pages

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    26 views31 pages

    VSEPR Theory

    Uploaded by

    Bipin Aryal

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    VSEPR Theory

    Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion


    Lewis dot formula can only show the electronic
    arrangement of atoms in a molecule but it can not predict
    the shape of molecule
    VSEPR Theory

    • This theory was proposed by Sedgwick and Powell in


    1940 initially and developed by Gillespie.

    • Predicts the molecular shape of a covalently bonded


    molecule and ions.
    Postulates-
    1. The shape of the covalent molecule or ion is determined
    by total number of electron pairs( bond pairs and lone
    pairs) present in the valence shell of central atom in the
    molecule. Electron pairs around the central atom arrange
    themselves as far apart from each other so as to get the
    minimum electrostatic repulsion. Hence determines the
    shape of molecules
    2. If central atom in a molecule is surrounded by only by
    bond pair electrons, the molecule will have regular
    geometry and shape
    Examples
    • 2 atoms attached to center atom
    • 0 unshared pairs (lone pairs)

    • Bond angle = 180o

    • Type: AX2
    • Ex. : CO2 BeF2, BeCl2
    Trigonal Planar

    • 3 atoms attached to center atom


    • 0 lone pairs

    • Bond angle = 120o

    • Type: AX3
    • Ex. : BF3
    Tetrahedral

    • 4 atoms attached to center atom


    • 0 lone pairs

    • Bond angle = 109.5o

    • Type: AX4
    • Ex. : CH4
    CCl4
    Trigonal Bipyramidal

    • 5 atoms attached to center atom


    • 0 lone pairs

    • Bond angle =
    – equatorial -> 120o
    – axial -> 90o

    • Type: AX5
    • Ex. : PF5
    Octahedral
    Octahedral
    3. If central atom has lone pairs ,along with bond pairs the
    ideal shape is distorted to give different bond angle than
    expected .
    This is because a lone pair (lp) occupies more space around
    the central atom than the bond pair (bp) since lp pair is
    attracted by one nucleus and bp is shared between the two
    nuclei .
    Because lone pairs of electrons are spread out more broadly
    than bond pairs, repulsions are greatest between two lone
    pairs, intermediate between a lone pair and a bond pair, and
    weakest between two bonding pairs of electrons
    i.e
    lp-lp > lp-bp > bp-bp
    These are for molecules
    with both paired and
    unshared (lone) pairs of
    electrons around the central
    atom.
    Water(H2O)

    (2 l.p. and 2 b.p. )

    Geometry – Distorted Tetrahedral


    Shape - Angular or V shaped

    109.5° to 104.5°
    Water
    In H2O the central atom oxygen has four electron pair ( two lone
    pairs and two and bond pairs ) , expected shape and geometry is
    tetrahedral pairs .Since there are two lone pairs of electrons
    around central atom the actual geometry is distorted tetrahedral
    and give bent or angular shape. Since the lone pairs exerts
    greater repulsion than bond pairs , the bond angle is less than
    regular tetrahedral angle i.e. 109. 5°. Actual bond angle is found
    to be 104. 5°.
    Bent

    • 2 atoms attached to center atom


    • 2 lone pairs

    • Bond angle = 104.5o

    • Type: AX2E2
    • Ex. : H2O
    Ammonia (NH3)

    (1l.p. and 3b.p.)

    Geometry – Distorted Tetrahedral


    Shape - Pyramidal

    109.5 ° to 107.5°
    Ammonia (NH3)
    In NH3 the central atom i.e. nitrogen contains four electron
    pairs but only three of them are bonded pairs. Since one of the
    electron pair is lone pair , the molecule will have distorted
    tetrahedral geometry. Since lone pair exerted greater repulsion
    than bonded pair, the bond angle is less than expected in
    regular tetrahedral bond angle( i.e.109.5°). Actual bond angle is
    found to be 107.5°)
    Trigonal Pyramidal

    • 3 atoms attached to center atom


    • 1 lone pair

    • Bond angle = 107.5o

    • Type: AX3E
    • Ex. : NH3
    SF4

    Geometry – Distorted trigonal bipyramidal


    Shape - seesaw or distorted octahedron
    XeF4

    Geometry – Distorted Octahedral


    Shape – square planar

    -
    EP Shape or shape shape shape Shape
    Geometry 1lp 2 lp 3 lp 4lp
    0 lp
    4. Electronegativity of atoms also affects the bond angle of
    the molecule in the iso-structural molecule ( molecules
    having same number of bonded and lone pairs around
    the central atom.
    b. As the electronegativity (EN) of the atoms bonded to the
    central atom increases , the bond pairs of electrons are
    pulled towards themselves by electronegative atoms due to
    which repulsion between bond pairs decreases . As a
    result, bond angle decreases.

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