Themes > Science > Chemistry > Inorganic Chemistry > More Information about Chemical Bonding > Chemical Bonding Index > Valence Shell Electron Repulsion Theory (VSEPR) > AX5: Trigonal Bipyramidal


When the central atom is surrounded by five things, it has a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, which looks like two tetrahedrons fused at one base. Unlike the simpler geometries, there are three different bond angles in this molecule between different bonds: 90o, 180o and 1200.
Type Bond Angle Example Lewis Structure
AX5: Trigonal Bipyramidal 90o, 120o, 180o PCl5 PCl5

If one of the bonded atoms is replaced by a lone pair, the molecule assumes a see-saw geometry, with a 90o, 120o and 180o angles between the bonds. Removing two gives a t-shaped geometry, with 90o and 180o angles, and removing three gives a linear geometry, with 180o angles.
Type Bond Angle Example Lewis Structure
AX4E: See-Saw 90o, 120o, 180o SF4 SF4
AX3E2: T-shaped 90o, 180o ClF3 Clf3
AX2E3: Linear 180o SF4 XeF2


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