The VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory predicts molecular geometry based on electron pair repulsion. The shape is determined by drawing a Lewis diagram and counting bonding and non-bonding electron pairs. Common molecular shapes include tetrahedral for 4 electron pairs, trigonal pyramidal for 3 bonds and 1 lone pair, bent for 2 bonds and 2 lone pairs, and trigonal planar for 3 bonds. Angles vary based on number of lone pairs. Examples of molecular shapes are given for molecules like CH4, NH3, H2O, PF5 and SF6.

1. VSEPR THEORY
Valence Shell Electron Pair
-Repulsion Theory
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2. What is the VSEPR Theory?
• The VSEPR Theory is used to predict the shapes of
molecules based on the repulsion of the bonding
and non-bonding electrons in the molecule.
• The shape is determined by the number of
bonding and non-bonding electrons in the
molecule.
• In order to determine the shape, the Lewis
diagram must be drawn first.
• When determining the shape of a molecule with
multiple bonds, treat the multiple bonds as if they
were single bonds (i.e. one bonding pair)
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3. Molecules with the central atom surrounded by
four bonding pairs (i.e. four atoms)
• If the central atom is placed at the center of a
sphere, than each of the four pairs of electrons
will occupy a position to be as far apart as
possible.
• This will result in the electron pairs being at the
corners of a regular tetrahedron, therefore these
molecules are said to have a TETRAHEDRAL
SHAPE.
• The angle between each bond will be 109.5°
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4. Example- CCl4
109.5°
Cl
C
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
C
Cl
Cl
Cl
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5. Molecules with the central atom surrounded by
3 bonding pairs and 1 non-bonding pair
• Four pairs of electrons will always arrange
themselves tetrahedrally around the central
atom.
• The shape of the molecule is determined by the
arrangement of the atoms not the electrons.
• As a result such molecules will have a
TRIANGULAR (TRIGONAL) PYRAMIDAL shape.
• Due to the repulsion, a non-bonding electron pair
requires more space than a bonding pair, the
angles in these molecules are 107° not 109.5° as
in the tetrahedral molecules.
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6. Example- NH3
107°
N
H
H
H
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7. Molecules with the central atom surrounded by
2 bonding pairs and 2 non-bonding pairs
• The four pairs of electrons will be arranged
tetrahedrally but since only 2 pairs are bonding
electrons, the surrounding atoms are at 2 corners
of the tetrahedron.
• As a result these molecules will have a BENT OR
V-SHAPE.
• The repulsion between the non-bonding pairs will
result in a bond angle of 104.5°.
• For each pair of non-bonding electrons, the bond
angle decreases by 2.5°
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8. Example- H2O
104.5°
H
O
H
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9. Molecules with the central atom surrounded by 5
pairs of bonding pairs
• As with the tetrahedral molecules, the electron pairs
will arrange themselves as far apart as possible.
• To achieve this, the atoms will arrange themselves in
a TRIANGULAR (TRIGONAL) BIPYRAMIDAL SHAPE
which consists of 2 pyramids sharing the same base.
• In this type of molecule, the 3 atoms making the base
will lie in the same plane with the central atom in the
middle of it. The other atoms will be positioned
above and below this plane.
• The bond angles within the base will 120° and the
bond between the other atoms and the base will be
90°.
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10. Example- PF5
F
F
F
F
F
P
90
120
°
°
F P
F
F
F
F
F P
F
F
F
F
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11. Molecules with the central atom surrounded by
6 pairs of bonding pairs
• In order for the 6 pairs of electrons to be as far apart
as possible in this case, each bonding pair will be at
one corner of a REGULAR OCTAGON
• The central atom is at the center of a square plane
made up of 4 atoms and the other 2 atoms will be
placed above and below the plane.
• All bond angles will be 90°
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12. Example -SF6
S
90°
S
F
F F
F
F
F
S
F
F F
F
F
F
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13. Molecules with the central atom with an
incomplete octet
• Molecules that only have 2 bonding pairs on the
central atom will have a LINEAR SHAPE with a bond
angle of 180°
• Molecules that only have 3 bonding pairs on the
central atom will have a TRIANGULAR (TRIGONAL)
PLANAR SHAPE with bond angles of 120°
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14. Example- BeF2 Example- BF3
120°
180°
Be FF
B
FF
F
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15. Things to Remember
• In order to predict the shape of a molecule you must
draw the Lewis Dot Diagram for the molecule,
determine the number of bonding and non-bonding
electron pairs and compare this with the chart you
have been given (the general shapes must be
memorized).
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