Trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Examples | NH3 |
Point group | C3v |
Coordination number | 3 |
Bond angle(s) | 90°<θ<109.5° |
μ (Polarity) | >0 |
In
chemistry, a trigonal pyramid is a
molecular geometry with one
atom at the
apex and three atoms at the corners of a
trigonal base, resembling a
tetrahedron (not to be confused with the
tetrahedral geometry). When all three atoms at the corners are identical, the molecule belongs to
point group C3v. Some molecules and ions with trigonal pyramidal geometry are the
pnictogen hydrides (XH3),
xenon trioxide (XeO3), the
chlorate ion, ClO−
3, and the
sulfite ion, SO2−
3. In
organic chemistry, molecules which have a trigonal pyramidal geometry are sometimes described as
sp3 hybridized. The
AXE method for
VSEPR theory states that the classification is AX3E1.
The nitrogen in ammonia has 5 valence electrons and bonds with three hydrogen atoms to complete the octet. This would result in the geometry of a regular tetrahedron with each bond angle equal to cos−1(−1/3) ≈ 109.5°. However, the three hydrogen atoms are repelled by the electron lone pair in a way that the geometry is distorted to a trigonal pyramid (regular 3-sided pyramid) with bond angles of 107°. In contrast, boron trifluoride is flat, adopting a trigonal planar geometry because the boron does not have a lone pair of electrons. In ammonia the trigonal pyramid undergoes rapid nitrogen inversion. [1]
Trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Examples | NH3 |
Point group | C3v |
Coordination number | 3 |
Bond angle(s) | 90°<θ<109.5° |
μ (Polarity) | >0 |
In
chemistry, a trigonal pyramid is a
molecular geometry with one
atom at the
apex and three atoms at the corners of a
trigonal base, resembling a
tetrahedron (not to be confused with the
tetrahedral geometry). When all three atoms at the corners are identical, the molecule belongs to
point group C3v. Some molecules and ions with trigonal pyramidal geometry are the
pnictogen hydrides (XH3),
xenon trioxide (XeO3), the
chlorate ion, ClO−
3, and the
sulfite ion, SO2−
3. In
organic chemistry, molecules which have a trigonal pyramidal geometry are sometimes described as
sp3 hybridized. The
AXE method for
VSEPR theory states that the classification is AX3E1.
The nitrogen in ammonia has 5 valence electrons and bonds with three hydrogen atoms to complete the octet. This would result in the geometry of a regular tetrahedron with each bond angle equal to cos−1(−1/3) ≈ 109.5°. However, the three hydrogen atoms are repelled by the electron lone pair in a way that the geometry is distorted to a trigonal pyramid (regular 3-sided pyramid) with bond angles of 107°. In contrast, boron trifluoride is flat, adopting a trigonal planar geometry because the boron does not have a lone pair of electrons. In ammonia the trigonal pyramid undergoes rapid nitrogen inversion. [1]