VSEPR

Copyright 2000 by James P. Birk

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Structures of Molecules

No Lone Pairs of Electrons
Two bonding groups, no unshared pairs
Three bonding groups, no unshared pairs
Two bonding groups, one unshared pair
Four bonding groups, no unshared pairs
Three bonding groups, one unshared pair
Two bonding groups, two unshared pairs
One bonding groups, three unshared pairs
Five bonding groups, no unshared pairs
Four bonding groups, one unshared pair
Three bonding groups, two unshared pairs
Two bonding groups, three unshared pairs
Six bonding groups, no unshared pairs
Five bonding groups, one unshared pair
Four bonding groups, two unshared pairs

No Lone Pairs of Electrons

BeH₂ BF₃ CH₄ PF₅

SF₆

Two Groups of Electrons

Two single bonds, no unshared electron pairs

BeH₂ BeF₂ BeCl₂

Two double bonds, no unshared electron pairs

CO₂

One single bond and one triple bond, no unshared electron pairs

HCN

Three Groups of Electrons

Three bonds, no unshared electron pairs

BF₃ SO₃ NO₃^- CO₃^2-

Two bonds, one unshared electron pair

NO₂^- SO₂ O₃

Four Groups of Electrons

Four bonds, no unshared electron pairs

SiF₄ CH₄ SO₄^2- ClO₄^-

Three bonds, one unshared electron pair

NH₃ PF₃ SO₃^2- ClO₃^-

Two bonds, two unshared electron pairs

H₂O OF₂ ClO₂^- SF₂

One bond, three unshared electron pairs

HCl

HF

Five Groups of Electrons

Five bonds, no unshared electron pairs

PF₅ IO₃F₂^-

Four bonds, one unshared electron pair

SF₄ ICl₄⁺

Three bonds, two unshared electron pairs

ClF₃ BrF₃

Two bonds, three unshared electron pairs

XeF₂ I₃^-

Six Groups of Electrons

Six bonds, no unshared electron pairs

SF₆ PCl₆^-

Five bonds, one unshared electron pair

XeOF₄ IF₅

Four bonds, two unshared electron pairs

XeF₄ BrF₄^-