VSEPR

Valence-Shell Electron-Pair Repulsion
Hold down mouse button on figure to rotate, hold down "shift" key to resize with mouse,
click the right mouse for additional menu items.
Note: This page requires the use of MDLI ChemScape Chime plug-in for viewing.

A is the central atom, B is a bonded atom, E is a nonbonding electron pair

2 Regions of Electron Density


AB₂	Linear
CO₂

3 Regions of Electron Density


AB₃	Trigonal planar	AB₂E	Bent (120 deg)
BF₃		SO₂

4 Regions of Electron Density


AB₄	Tetrahedral	AB₃E	Trigonal pyramidal	AB₂E₂	Bent (109.5 deg)
CH₄		NH₃		H₂O

5 Regions of Electron Density


AB₅	Trigonal bipyramidal	AB₄E	Seesaw	AB₃E₂	T-shaped	AB₂E₃	Linear
PCl₅		SF₄		ICl₃		XeF₂

6 Regions of Electron Density


AB₆	Octahedral	AB₅E	Square pyramidal	AB₄E₂	Square planar
SF₆		SbCl₅^2-		IF₄^-

Summary

Type Electronic Geometry Molecular Geometry Other Example(s)

2 Regions

AB₂ linear linear BeF₂, N₂O

3 Regions

AB₃ trigonal planar trigonal planar CO₃^2-, NO₃^-

AB₂E trigonal planar bent 120^o O₃

4 Regions

AB₄ tetrahedral tetrahedral NH₄⁺, SO₄^2-

AB₃E tetrahedral trigonal pyramidal PCl₃

AB₂E₂ tetrahedral bent 109.5^o OF₂

5 Regions

AB₅ trigonal bipyramidal trigonal bipyramidal AsF₅

AB₄E trigonal bipyramidal seesaw TeF₄

AB₃E₂ trigonal bipyramidal T-shaped BrCl₃

AB₂E₃ trigonal bipyramidal linear I₃^-

6 Regions

AB₆ octahedral octahedral SeF₆

AB₅E octahedral square pyramidal IF₅

AB₄E₂ octahedral square planar BrF₄^-, XeF₄

Type	Electronic Geometry	Molecular Geometry	Other Example(s)
2 Regions
AB₂	linear	linear	BeF₂, N₂O
3 Regions
AB₃	trigonal planar	trigonal planar	CO₃^2-, NO₃^-
AB₂E	trigonal planar	bent 120^o	O₃
4 Regions
AB₄	tetrahedral	tetrahedral	NH₄⁺, SO₄^2-
AB₃E	tetrahedral	trigonal pyramidal	PCl₃
AB₂E₂	tetrahedral	bent 109.5^o	OF₂
5 Regions
AB₅	trigonal bipyramidal	trigonal bipyramidal	AsF₅
AB₄E	trigonal bipyramidal	seesaw	TeF₄
AB₃E₂	trigonal bipyramidal	T-shaped	BrCl₃
AB₂E₃	trigonal bipyramidal	linear	I₃^-
6 Regions
AB₆	octahedral	octahedral	SeF₆
AB₅E	octahedral	square pyramidal	IF₅
AB₄E₂	octahedral	square planar	BrF₄^-, XeF₄