INTRODUCTION

• VSEPR Theory was suggested by Sidgwick and

Powel[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 &Non-bonding electron pairs in its
valance shell.
 VSEPR Theory
• The shape of the molecule is determined by
repulsions 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 electrons takes up more space round

the central atom than a bondpair.

• Lone pair attracted to one nucleus, but bond pair

is shared by two nuclei.
• The minimum repulsions to the state minimum
energy and maximum stability of the molecule.
 Repulsion strengths

•Lone pair -Lone pair > Lone pair -

Bond pair > Bond pair-Bond pair
 Repulsion strengths

Triple bond >double bond >single bond

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

• The magnitude of repulsions between bonding

pairs of electrons depends on the electronegativity
difference between the central atom &the other
atoms .
 Steps in the prediction of geometry

• Determine the central atom.

• Draw the electron dot structure and bar diagram

• Find arrangement of electron pairs.

• Find arrangement of bonding pairs.

• Determine the geometry based on of bonding pairs.

SHAPES OF MOLECULES CONTAINING
BONDED PAIRS OF ELECTRONS ONLY
 Central atom with Two Electron Pairs

There are two electron pairs in the valance

2 2
shell of Beryllium. [1s 2s ]
Molecular geometry-Linear arrangement
Be H
 Central atom with Three Electron Pairs
Trigonal Planar
Three electron pairs in the valance shell of
2 2 1
Boron. [1s 2s 2p ]
Molecular geometry- Trigonal
Planar arrangement
F
Central atom with Four Electron Pairs
Tetrahedral
Four electron pairs in the valance shell of
2 2 2
Carbon. [1s 2s 2p ] Molecular
geometry- Tetrahedral Bond angle -
109.5:
 Central atom with Five Electron Pairs
Five electrons in the valance shell of
2 2 6 2 3
Phosphorus. [1s 2s 2p 3s 3p ]
Molecular geometry- Trigonalbipyramid
Bond angle -120: &90:
Central atom with Six Electron Pairs

Six electrons in the valance shell

2 2 6 2 4
of Sulphur. [1s 2s 2p 3s 3p ]
Molecular geometry- Octahetral
Bond angle-90:
SHAPES OF MOLECULES CONTAINING
BONDED PAIRS AS WELL AS LONE PAIRS
OF ELECTRONS
 Central atom with Four Electron Pairs
Tetrahedral
Five electrons in the valance shell of
2 2 3
Nitrogen. [1s 2s 2p ]
Molecular geometry- Tetrahedral
Electron pair arrangement - Trigonal Pyramidal
Presence of lone pair causes slight distortion from
109:28′ to 107:48′
 Central atom with Four Electron Pairs
Tetrahedral
Six electrons in the valance shell of Oxygen atom.
2 2 4
[1s 2s 2p ]
Molecular geometry- V-Shaped or Bent
shape Electron pair arrangement- Tetrahetral
Repulsions between Lonepair- Lonepair ,
Lonepair -Bondpair is possible.
It causes slight distortion from 109:28′ to 104:27′
 Central atom with Five Electron Pairs
six electrons in the valance shell of
2 2 6 2 4
Sulphur. [1s 2s 2p 3s 3p ]
Molecular geometry- see saw
Electron pair arrangement- Trigonal bipyramidal

Lonepair –bondpair repulsion

 Central atom with Six Electron Pairs
Eight electrons in the valance shell of xenon:
2 2 6 2 6 10 2 6 10 2 6
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d 5s 5p
Molecular geometry- square planar
Electron pair arrangement- octahedral
Lonepair –bond pair repulsion
 EFFCT OF ELECTRONEGATIVITY
Five electrons in the valance shell of
2 2 3
Nitrogen. [1s 2s 2p ]
Molecular geometry- Tetrahedral [e-pairs arrangement]
orTrigonal Pyramidal[VSEPR]
Presence of lone pair causes slight distortion from 109:28′ to
107:48′to102:30′
Repulsion between bond pair-bond pair is less in NF3 than in
NH3
102:30′
 Limitations of VSEPR

• It fails to predict the shapes of isoelectronic

+
species[CH4&NH4 ] and transition metal
compounds.

• This model does not take relative sizes

of substituents.

• Unable to explain atomic orbitals overlap.

 2 2 6 2 6 10 2 6 10 2 6
xenon : 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d 5s 5p
Molecular geometry-
Pentagonal bipyramid[VSEPR], Distorted
Octahedral[actual]
Lonepair –bondpair repulsion