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Topic: the shape of ClF3  (Read 11283 times)

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HongKongALevelboy

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the shape of ClF3
« on: December 12, 2004, 03:43:11 PM »
can anyone explain why the shape of ClF3 is T-shape . All I know is that the repulsion force is in the following order :
lone pair electron and lone pair electron > lone pair electron and bond pair electron > bond pair electron and bond pair electron
why dont the lone pair electrons of Cl stay as far as possible ?
If they stay as far as possible , it should be trigonal planar shape .
thx for any answer

dexangeles

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Re:the shape of ClF3
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2004, 04:18:22 PM »
there's two types of geoms: electron geom and molecular geom

you have 5 region and two lone pairs right?
maybe you need to draw it to be able to conceptualize it better

e geom will give you a trigonal bipyramidal shape (all electrons are considered, bonded or not)
molecular geom will give you a T-shape (only the bonds with another atom is considered, not the lone pairs)

drawing it three dimensionally will show you the T-shape

HongKongALevelboy

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Re:the shape of ClF3
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2004, 05:40:52 AM »
sorry , dont understand what u mean  

Offline AWK

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Re:the shape of ClF3
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2004, 08:25:25 AM »
Read something on VSEPR rules
AWK

Demotivator

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Re:the shape of ClF3
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2004, 10:12:27 AM »
With trigonal planar, you get 6 LP-B at 90 deg angles.
With T shape, 4 LP-B at 90 deg.
That favors T shape. The LP-LP in T is 120 deg which is not so bad.

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