Chapter 11 Chemical Bonds: The Formation of Compounds from ...

11.11 The valence shell electron pair
repulsion (VSEPR) model
VSEPR model is based on the idea that electron
pairs will repel each other electrically and will seek
to minimize this repulsion
to accomplish this minimization, the electron pairs
will arrange around the central atom as far apart as
possible
1. linear structure 180 o
ex. BeCl 2 Cl—Be—Cl
2. trigonal planar 120 o
ex. BF 3 F F
B
|F
3. tetrahedral 109.5 o
ex. CH 4 H H
C
H H
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