Worksheet - prediciting molecular geometries

Basic steps for predicting molecular geometries:

1) Add up the total number of valence electrons.

2) Write down the central atom, and connect all peripheral atoms to it with a pair of electrons.

3) Distribute enough electrons to all the peripheral atoms so that they all have a full octet.

4) Distribute the remaining electrons as pairs to the central atom.



Let’s use ICl3 as an example:

1) one I + three Cl = 7 + 21 valence e- = 28 valence e-



2)



3)



4)



Try a couple of molecules for practice:
1) SOCl₂
2) PBr₃
3) ClO₂F
4) XeF₄
5) BrF₅
6) ClF₃
7) SCl₃F₃
8) XeF₂
9) SF₄
10) ICl₅
11) ICl_4-
12) SCl₂
13) ICl_2-
14) I_3-