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- Message-ID: <073310Z08071994@anon.penet.fi>
- Newsgroups: alt.drugs
- From: an58264@anon.penet.fi (Dalamar)
- Date: Fri, 8 Jul 1994 07:25:09 UTC
- Subject: CHEMISTRY: Bonding and Structure
-
-
- In the following file the numbers immediately following an atoms symbol in
- a chemical formula should be read as subscript eg C2H6 should be read :
-
-
- CCCCCC H H
- C H H
- C H H
- C HHHHHHH 6
- C 222 H H 6
- C 2 H H 6 6
- CCCCCC 22 H H 6 6
- 2222 66
-
-
- The mole is a measure of amount of substance in chemistry and is equivalent to
- 6.02 x 10(raised to the power of 23) particles.
-
-
- Bonding and Structure
- _____________________
-
- The vast majority of substances which occur freely in nature, or are
- synthetically manufactured by man, are not comprised of free atoms,
- but of atoms held joined together by chemical bonds. How and why do atoms
- form bonds ?
-
- Obviously the formation of a bond must be energetically favourable, leading to a
- minimum of energy ie the product in which the bonds have been formed must be
- more stable than the individual atoms, otherwise the bonds would not form.
- To understand what happens in terms of electronic structure when atoms form
- bonds consider the group 0 elements. These comprise the inert gases helium,
- neon, argon, krypton, xenon and radon, all of which are noted for their extreme
- lack of chemical properties and unreactivity. Atoms of the noble gases do not
- normally react with any other atoms, so that the gases consist of atoms alone.
- This lack of reactivity and the fact that the gases are comprised of lone atoms
- indicates that these atoms are extremely stable, their energy being at such a
- favourable minimum that it cannot be improved by bond formation. The inert gases
- all have one thing in common - a complete outer shell of electrons, so we
- conclude that this is a very stable arrangement.
-
- The electrons contained in the outermost shell of an atom are generally the ones
- concerned with bonding and the formation of _compounds_. When two or more
- different elements are combined together, so that their atoms become bonded,
- the resultant substance is called a compound. The properties of the compound
- usually differs radically from the elements which combined together to
- form it. A classic example is the formation of water from the elements
- hydrogen and oxygen. When hydrogen and oxygen are mixed in the correct
- proportions and a spark or flame applied, a violent reaction occurs in which
- the hydrogen and oxygen react together to form water. Both oxygen and hydrogen
- are gases at room temperature, but the product of their reaction together is
- a clear liquid, without which life would not exist.
-
- When atoms form bonds they do so in such a way as to attain a stable electronic
- configuration. As we have already shown, the most stable configuration is that
- of a complete outer shell of electrons. There are three ways in which atoms may
- obtain a stable electronic configuration : by losing, gaining or sharing
- electrons. If we divide the elements into (a) electropositive elements, whose
- atoms compete poorly for electrons and give up one or more electrons fairly
- readily (low ionisation energy), (b) electronegative elements, whose atoms
- attract electrons strongly and also readily take up electrons, then the
- following rule of thumb applies :
-
-
- Electropositive element + Electronegative element = Ionic Bond
-
-
- Electronegative element + Electronegative element = Covalent Bond
-
-
- Electropositive element + Electropositive element = Metallic Bond
-
-
- The three modes of bonding described above are :
-
-
- 1. The Ionic Bond.
-
- The _ionic bond_ is formed when electrons are transferred from one atom to
- another, generating cations and anions which are held together by the pure
- electrostatic attraction of the resulting positive and negative charges.
- Compounds such as sodium chloride (NaCl), iron sulphide (FeS) and magnesium
- oxide (MgO) contain this type of bonding.
-
- 2. The Covalent bond.
-
- The _covalent bond_ is formed by the mutual sharing of electrons between
- two atoms. Each atom achieves a stable configuration by gaining a share of
- a number of electrons from the outermost shell of the other atom. Compounds
- such as methane (CH4), chloroform (CHCl3), hydrogen chloride (HCl) and
- benzene (C6H6) contain this type of bonding.
-
- 3. The metallic bond.
-
- This type of bonding, as the name suggests, occurs in metals. The outermost
- electrons of the metal become _delocalised_, that is they are not associated
- with any one particular atom, but are free to move from atom to atom in the
- metal crystal. The structure can then be imagined as an array of metal cations
- surrounded by a delocalised 'sea' of electrons which hold the cations together.
- The outstanding electrical conductivity of metals is due to the mobility of
- these electrons through the lattice. Sodium metal consists of an array of
- Na+ cations (noble gas config. of neon, K2 L8) held together by the delocalised
- M1 electrons (sodium originally K2 L8 M1).
-
- Ionic and covalent bonding is covered in more detail below.
-
-
- The Ionic Bond
- ______________
-
- Consider sodium, an electropositive element with low ionisation energy and
- electronic configuration of K2 L8 M1. When sodium reacts with an electronegative
- element, for example chlorine, the single electron contained in the M shell is
- readily lost to give Na+ ion, with the stable electronic configuration of neon,
- K2 L8. Chlorine, which is of high electronegativity (electron attracting),
- accepts an electron readily to give the _chloride ion_, Cl-, with the stable
- electronic configuration of argon, K2 L8 M8. By the transfer of only one
- electron, from sodium to chlorine, each atom is now 'happier' as it has achieved
- a more stable electron configuration. The millions of Na+ and Cl- ions which are
- generated during the reaction form themselves into a regular three dimensional
- cubic lattice, consisting of alternating Na+ and Cl- ions. Each Na+ ion in
- the lattice is surrounded by 6 Cl- ions, 4 in the same plane, one in the plane
- above, and one in the plane below. The diagram below shows a small portion of
- a single plane of Na+ and Cl- ions as they are arranged in sodium chloride.
-
-
-
- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+
-
-
- Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl-
-
-
- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+
-
-
- Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl-
-
-
- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+ Cl- Na+
-
-
- This pattern will repeated not only in the same plane, but also in planes
- stacked above and below. The planes immediately above and below this one will
- be arranged so that the chloride ions they contain are above and below the
- sodium ions in this plane. The _coordination number_ of each ion is _six_.
- The electrostatic attractive forces between the ions are extremely strong,
- resulting in a rigid crystal structure and a compound which is a solid.
- The chemical formula for sodium chloride is written as NaCl, which represents
- the ratio of sodium ions to chloride ions in the compound.
-
- Because the rest of the group I metals (Li, Na, K etc) have similair electronic
- structure (one electron in outermost shell), they also have similair properties
- (electropositive, low ionisation energy) and can be expected to react in a
- similair fasion to sodium with chlorine, or any of the other of the group VII
- elements (commonly known as the halogens, F, Cl, Br etc), which are all one
- electron short of an inert gas structure. The resultant compounds will be of
- the general formula MX, where M represents an alkali metal and X a halogen.
- Some examples are sodium fluoride (NaF), lithium chloride (LiCl) and potassium
- iodide (KI).
-
- The group II elements are also electropositive and are collectively known as the
- alkaline earth metals. All of the metals in this group contain 2 electrons in
- the outermost shell of their atoms, for example the electronic structure of
- magnesium is K2 L8 M2. In combining with a halogen, an ionic compound of general
- formula MX2 is formed, where M represents an alkaline earth metal and X a
- halogen. To obtain an inert gas structure each metal atom must lose 2 electrons.
- However, each halogen atom requires but one electron to complete its outermost
- shell, therefore for each M(2+) cation formed there are two X(-) ions also
- formed, giving a chemical formula of MX2. Examples are magnesium chloride
- (MgCl2) and calcium fluoride (CaF2).
-
- Oxygen is another very electronegative element and with the electronic structure
- K2 L6, an oxygen atom is two electrons short of attaining the inert gas
- structure of neon (K2 L8). In compounds with the group I or group II metals,
- oxygen can accept two electrons to form the _oxide ion_, O(2-), which now has
- the inert gas structure of neon. Each group I metal atom donates only one
- electron, therefore the resulting _group I oxides_, have the general formula
- M2O eg. sodium oxide (Na2O). Each group II metal donates two electrons, giving
- a general formula of MO for the _group II oxides_, eg. magnesium oxide (MgO).
- The bonding in these oxides is again ionic (e.pos element + e.neg element).
- Most of the oxides, although stable, must be prepared by indirect methods as
- combustion in air gives other products such as peroxides and superoxides.
-
-
- The amount of energy released when one mole of an ionic compound is formed
- from its constituent ions is known as the _lattice energy_. This figure is
- usually quite high (eg approx 750 kJ/mol for NaCl) and depends on the nature
- of the ions and which type of structure they adopt. As well as the NaCl type
- of lattice which most of the group I halides adopt, many other geometries are
- formed by other ionic compounds. The reason why any particular geometry is
- adopted is that the lattice energy is at its most favourable.
-
-
- The Covalent Bond
- _________________
-
- When two electronegative elements react together, ionic bonds are not formed
- because both atoms have a tendency to gain electrons. However, both atoms may
- still achieve an inert gas structure by the mutual sharing of electrons.
- Consider the element chlorine, which has seven electrons in the outermost shell
- of its atoms. Chlorine exists under normal conditions as a yellow gas composed
- of discrete Cl2 molecules. Now consider how two chlorine atoms will combine to
- form a chlorine molecule (Cl2). If each atom gives a _share_ of one of its
- outermost electrons to the other, each achieves a full outer shell. As both
- chlorine atoms are of identical electronegativity, the pair of electrons
- which now constitute a covalent bond are shared equally between both atoms.
- Diagramatically this may be represented:
-
-
-
-
-
- x x x x x x x x
- x x x x x x x
- Cl + Cl =====> Cl Cl
- x x x x x
- x x x x x x x x
-
-
- Chlorine atoms A chlorine molecule
-
-
- Only the outermost electrons are shown in the diagram (the M shell).
-
- Each chlorine atom in the chlorine molecule has in its outermost shell six
- electrons which fully belong to it, plus a share in two more electrons, making
- a stable octet (inert gas structure of argon, K2 L8 M8) around each atom.
- A single covalent bond is therefore made up of a shared _pair_ of electrons.
-
- A carbon atom is four electrons short of a complete outer shell, therefore
- it will need to share four electrons and form four bonds. For example, a
- molecule of carbon tetrachloride is composed of one carbon atom bonded to
- four chlorine atoms, CCl4. Each chlorine atom is only one electron short of
- a complete outer shell, so each Cl atom forms only one bond.
-
- Diagramatically this may be represented:
-
- x x
- x x
- Cl
- x x
- x x x x x x x x x
- x x x x x x
- x C x + 4 Cl ======> Cl C Cl
- x x x x x
- x x x x x x x x x
- x x
- Cl
- x x
- x x
-
-
- Only the outer shell of electrons is shown for each atom.
-
-
- By sharing electrons in this way, both the carbon and all four chlorine atoms
- attain an inert gas structure. Although these equations and diagrams help us
- to rationalise the bonding in CCl4, it does not neccessarily follow that the
- atoms will react directly together. In the case of CCl4, carbon and chlorine
- do not react directly to CCl4 and carbon tetrachloride must be prepared by
- indirect reactions.
-
- Nitrogen is three electrons short of attaining an inert gas structure and will
- therefore form three covalent bonds to other atoms. Ammonia has the chemical
- formula NH3 and is produced by the direct reaction of hydrogen and nitrogen
- at high pressures :
-
-
- 3 H2 + N2 = 2 NH3
-
-
- Hydrogen atoms are one electron short of attaining the inert gas structure of
- helium (K2). Each H atom is therefore capable of forming one covalent bond, as
- in ammonia (NH3).
-
-
- H
-
- x x
- x x
- N H
- x x
- x x
-
- H
-
-
- For the N atom, only the outer electrons are shown.
-
-
- Notice in the structure for ammonia that there are two electrons on the nitrogen
- which do not form bonds. These two electrons are known as a _lone pair_ and play
- an important role in the properties of ammonia and its derivatives.
-
- The bond which a pair of electrons form is more usually represented by a
- straight line joining the two atoms, and a lone pair by two dots next to the
- atom to which they belong. Thus ammonia can be more neatly represented by
-
-
- H
- |
- :N-H The structural formula of the ammonia molecule with its
- | 3 single covalent bonds between N and H, plus a single
- H lone pair situated on nitrogen.
-
-
- Each bond line therefore represents a pair of electrons, which can be considered
- to be in the outer shell of both the atoms it joins. Each H atom has its
- required 2 electrons in the K shell, the nitrogen has 3 bond pairs, plus
- its lone pair, making a total of 3x2+2 = 8 electrons in its outermost shell
- which is the inert gas structure of neon (K2 L8). This is the _structural
- formula_ of ammonia and shows us the order in which the atoms are connected.
- The _molecular formula_ for a compound shows us which atoms are present and
- their numbers, but there could be many ways of fitting the atoms together so
- that each still forms its required number of bonds. Therefore, it is important
- to have a way of systematically naming all compounds in such a way that the
- structural formula can be worked out simply from the name. Even though such
- a system of naming has been in force a long time, some old common names are
- still in use. Some large molecules, which commonly have very long systematic
- names are generally referred to by an agreed common name. Compounds which
- share the same molecular formula, but differ in the way their atoms are
- connected or spatially arranged, are known as _isomers_. For example
- ethanol and dimethylether are related as _structural isomers_ because
- although they share the same molecular formula C2H6O, the way in which the
- atoms are connected differs :
-
-
-
- H H H H
- | | | |
- H-C-O-C-H H-C-C-O-H Ethanol and Dimethylether
- | | | | structural formulas.
- H H H H
-
-
- Dimethylether Ethanol
-
- C2H6O C2H6O
-
-
- Two other types of isomerism that are important are known as geometrical and
- optical.
-
-
- As well as single covalent bonds, double and triple covalent bonds also
- exist. For a double bond, two pairs of electrons are mutually shared between
- the atoms and for a triple bond three pairs of electrons are shared.
- An example of a compound containing a double bond is ethene (old name ethylene),
- which has the molecular formula C2H4 :
-
- H H
- | | A molecule of ethene.
- C=C
- | |
- H H
-
- Each carbon atom requires a share in 4 electrons in order to complete its
- outer shell. Each H atom supplies one electron to pair with one of carbons
- electrons. As there are two H atoms connected to each C this uses up 2 of
- carbons 4 valency electrons. The only way both C atoms can obtain a complete
- outer shell is to now share both of their 2 remaining electrons with each other,
- so that each carbon atom gets a share in two electrons which originate from
- the neighbouring carbon atom.
-
- Nitrogen molecules are diatomic (contains two atoms, N2) and contain a triple
- bond between N atoms. Each N atom contains 5 electrons in the outermost shell,
- hence a share in 3 more is required to complete the octet and achieve an inert
- gas structure. If each N atom shares 3 of its 5 valency electrons with its
- neighbouring N atom, each achieves a stable octet. Each N atom thus retains
- two electrons (a lone pair) which fully belong to it, plus gets a share in six
- others (3 from itself, 3 from the other), thereby completing the octet around
- each atom.
-
-
- x x
- :N x x N: The N2 molecule, : represents a lone
- x x pair of electrons situated on each N.
-
-
-
- Double and triple bonds also occur between atoms of different types and are
- most important for the period two elements carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.
- For example, the carbon-oxygen double bond is very important in organic
- chemistry, where C=O is known as the _carbonyl_ group and is present in
- many important classes of compound eg. ketones, aldehydes, amides and esters.
- An oxygen atom contains six electrons in its outermost shell and therefore
- requires a share in two more to achieve an inert gas structure. A carbon atom
- requires a share in four electrons, therefore it shares two of its electrons
- with oxygen, which satisfies the requirements of oxygen. This still leaves
- the C atom two electrons short of the inert gas structure, which it achieves
- via bonding to other atoms. The nature of the other atoms attached to the
- carbonyl group will determine the reactivity and class of compound we have.
- Some examples are given below.
-
-
- Structural formula Class Name
- __________________ _____ ____
-
-
- H
- |
- H-C-H
- |
- C=O Ketone Propanone (acetone)
- |
- H-C-H
- |
- H
-
-
-
- CH3
- |
- C=O Aldehyde Ethanal (acetaldehyde)
- |
- H
-
-
-
- CH3
- |
- C=O
- |
- O-CH2-CH3 Ester Ethylacetate
-
-
-
- H
- |
- C=O
- |
- N-CH3 Amide Dimethylformamide
- |
- CH3
-
-
- Common names shown in brackets.
-
- For the first compound in the table i drew the complete structural formula.
- However it is possible to shorten this slightly by writing :
-
-
-
- H
- |
- -CH3 to represent -C-H
- |
- H
-
- and
-
- H H
- | |
- -CH2-CH3 to represent -C-C-H
- | |
- H H
-
-
- The oxygen atom originally has 6 electrons in its outermost shell and shares
- two of these when forming two single covalent bonds (as in dimethylether) or
- one double bond (as in the above compounds). This leaves two lone pairs of
- electrons situated on oxygen, but these can usually be omitted when drawing
- the formulae for compounds.
-
-
- From the way we have discussed bonding so far, you may have expected a double
- covalent bond to be twice the strength of a single bond (if we consider the
- bonds to be between the same atoms). However, this is not the case and the
- double bond, although much stronger than a single bond, falls short of being
- twice the strength by a fair amount. To account for this we must go on another
- step in complexity and consider a more accurate model for the electronic
- structure of the atom. This i hope to do in another file if there is interest,
- but for the moment these basic ideas will suffice.
-
-
- The Coordinate Bond
- ___________________
-
- So far you have seen that a single covalent bond consists of a pair of
- mutually shared electrons. One electron of the shared pair originated from
- one atom and the other electron from the other atom. However, there is a mode
- of bonding termed _coordinate_, or sometimes _dative_ in which the bond pair
- originates from the _same_ atom. To see how this is possible consider again
- the ammonia molecule, NH3. The nitrogen atom in ammonia has a lone pair of
- electrons. Even though the nitrogen atom has achieved its stable octet of
- outer electrons, it is still possible for further bonding to N to take place
- via the lone pair. For example, NH3 will react with a proton (H+, a hydrogen
- cation, formed by the removal of the single K electron from a H atom) to give:
-
- H
- | The positive charge now resides
- H-N->H on the N atom in NH4(+).
- |
- H
-
- The lone pair from the N atom gives the newly attached H the inert gas config.
- of helium (K2) whilst at the same time it maintains the octet around N.
- Once formed, this coordinate bond is identical to that of a normal covalent
- bond and all N-H bonds in NH4(+) are in fact identical. The positive charge
- originally carried by H(+) is transferred to the nitrogen atom and the
- resultant cation, NH4(+), is known as the ammonium ion.
-
-
- The bond pair in molecules such as F2 and Cl2 is situated between identical
- atoms, which are of course of identical electronegativity. Hence the electron
- pair may be considered to be exactly in the middle of the two atoms. If however
- the atoms which are linked by a covalent bond are of different electronegativity
- then the electron pair of the bond will be drawn closer to the more
- electronegative atom. This results in a _polarised_ bond in which the more
- electronegative atom aquires a slight negative charge (because it hogs the
- electrons) and the other a slight positive charge (beacuse the electrons are
- being dragged away from it). This slight charge separation is represented by
- d+ and d- (the greek letter delta). For example, consider a molecule A-B, in
- which A is more electronegative than B. The bond becomes polarised in the
- direction of A :
-
- d- d+
- A-B
-
-
- The resulting partial positive and negative charges attract each other and
- in fact strengthen the bond slightly. This electrostatic attraction is
- no different to that found in ionic compounds, so the above bond could be
- described as being partly ionic in character. In fact, if we kept increasing
- the electronegativity of atom A and decreasing that of B the compound AB
- would become increasingly more ionic as more and more negative charge
- built up on atom A. When the difference in electronegativity between A and
- B is great enough the compound will be ionic and consist of a lattice of
- A- and B+ ions. Then there is the region between the extremes, where the
- bond could be described as mainly covalent, but with some ionic character,
- or mainly ionic, but with some covalent character. Methyl lithium (CH3Li) is an
- example of a class of compounds known as the organometallics, and the bond
- is about 40% ionic in character due to the extreme polarisation of the
- C-Li bond :
-
- H
- d-| d+ In methyl lithium the C-Li bond is
- H-C-Li extremely polarised.
- |
- H
-
- Reagents such as MeLi (Me short for methyl, -CH3) are versatile reagents in
- the synthesis of organic molecules, where the carbon skeleton of the molecule
- usually has to be constructed from smaller molecules by a series of reactions.
-
-
-
- Hydrogen Bonding
- ________________
-
- Hydrogen bonding occurs in compounds which contain a hydrogen atom bonded to
- a strongly electronegative element, most commonly oxygen and nitrogen. The
- X-H bond (X=O,N etc) is polarised (d-)X-H(d+). The resultant d+ and d- charges
- become attracted to the d- and d+ charges on another molecule of the compound,
- with the result that a weak attractive force comes into play between the
- molecules. If we consider water :
-
-
-
- O.........H H Hydrogen bonding in water.
- / \ \ /
- H H.........O ... = Hydrogen bond.
- H . . .
- \ . . .
- O . O.........H
- / . / \ /
- H H H.....O
- \
- H
-
-
- Water has two H atoms bonded to one O atom and both of these H's can take
- place in H bonding. The positively polarised H atoms in one molecule attract
- the negatively polarised O atoms of other water molecules and a 3-D network
- of hydrogen bonds is established. Hydrogen bonding is much weaker than either
- covalent or ionic and H-bonds can be broken fairly readily. To break the H
- bonds requires the input of energy (usually by heating). The high boiling
- point of water is due to hydrogen bonding. The hydrogen bonds in water are
- broken if the sample is heated enough (eg by boiling) and the water molecules,
- with enough thermal energy that the H-bonds can no longer hold them together,
- enter the gas phase.
-
- Some examples of other types of compound which contain H-bonds are alcohols,
- carboxylic acids, amines and amides.
-
-
- Van der waals Forces of Attraction
- __________________________________
-
- This is an extremely weak force of attraction which operates between the
- molecules in covalently bonded compounds. The size of the attractive force
- generally increases with the weight of the molecule. A good illustration
- of this principle is the trend in the boiling points of the alkanes, which
- increase with increasing molecular mass. The alkanes are a family of organic
- compounds which contain only carbon and hydrogen. Methane, CH4, is the lightest
- of the alkanes and as such the V.D.W forces of attraction between its molecules
- are extremely weak, hence methane is a gas at room temperature. For the next
- heavier alkanes ethane (CH3CH3), propane (CH3CH2CH3) and butane (CH3CH2CH2CH3)
- the V.D.W forces do increase, but not enough to allow the alkane to be a liquid
- at room temperature. However, the next members pentane and hexane are fairly
- volatile liquids at room temperature. The boiling point continues to increase
- with increasing molecular weight. When the molecular weight is high enough,
- the V.D.W forces between the molecules will have increased enough so that the
- alkane becomes a low melting point solid (as in candle wax). Hence most
- covalent compounds are either gases, liquids or low melting point solids
- (there is an exception to this where in some cases infinite 3-D covalent
- structures are formed, as opposed to discrete molecules, as in diamond and
- silica, in these cases the boiling points are abnormally high).
-
-
- Shapes of Simple Covalent Molecules - VSEPR Theory
- __________________________________________________
-
- The shapes of most simple covalent molecules can be predicted by using the
- valence shell electron pair repulsion theory. This theory states that the
- shape of a molecule is related to the number of electron pairs (bond pairs or
- lone pairs) in the outer shell of the central atom. It is assumed that the
- electron pairs arrange themselves to be as far apart as possible in order to
- minimise the repulsive forces between them (negative charges repel). If the
- distribution of these pairs can be predicted then so can the shape and bond
- angle.
-
- Consider the structure of a gaseous molecule of beryllium fluoride BeF2.
- In this molecule the central Be atom forms two single covalent bonds, one bond
- to each fluorine atom. There are therefore 2 bonding pairs of electrons in the
- valence shell of the Be atom in BeF2. These 2 pairs will arrange themselves to
- be as far apart as possible - and this is 180 degrees to each other. The BeF2
- molecule is therefore linear, with a F-Be-F bond angle of 180 degrees. You
- may have noticed that the central Be atom has only 4 electrons in its outermost
- shell i.e. it does not have a complete inert gas structure. The molecule is
- described as being electron deficient.
-
- A molecule of boron trifluoride, BF3, has a central B atom covalently bonded to
- three fluorine atoms by single covalent bonds. The three bond pairs arrange
- themselves so that repulsion is at a minimum - and this is in a plane triangular
- shape, with the F-B-F bond angles equal to 120 degrees. The fluorine atoms
- occupy the corners of an equalateral triangle, with the boron atom in the
- middle.
-
- In methane, CH4, there are four bond pairs of electrons around the central
- carbon atom. The repulsion is at a minimum if the bond pairs arrange themselves
- tetrahedrally around the C atom i.e. all H-C-H bond angles are 109 degrees 28
- minutes. The hydrogen atoms then occupy the corners of a regular tetrahedron
- and the CH4 molecule is described as tetrahedral.
-
- Ammonia, NH3, has four pairs of electrons around the central N atom. These
- comprise three bonding pairs (one bond to each H atom) and a lone pair.
- Because the lone pair is not shared with any other atom it is pulled closer
- to the N atom than are the bond pairs. This results in the lone pair being
- more replusive than a bond pair, so the order of repulsion between types is
-
- Lone pair - Lone pair > Lone pair - Bond pair > Bond pair - Bond pair
-
- In ammonia the 4 pairs are again tetrahedrally distributed, with one of the
- corners of the tetrahedron occupied by the lone pair. This gives the molecule
- a pyramidal shape:
- "
- | Molecule of ammonia.
- N
- /|\
- H H H
-
- The extra repulsion of the lone pair pushes the bonding pairs closer together
- and thus reduces the H-N-H bond angle from the expected 109 degrees for a
- regular tetrahedron, to ##### degrees. It is hard to draw 3D diagrams on this
- terminal - the three H's are not in the plane of the screen! The N forms the
- apex of a pyramid.
-
- Water has four pairs of electrons around the central oxygen atom. These
- comprise two bond pairs and two lone pairs. Again the distribution of the pairs
- is roughly tetrahedral, but this time two of the corners of the tetrahedron
- are occupied by lone pairs. Because there are two lone pairs which provide
- extra repulsion, the H-O-H bond angle is reduced to #### degrees. The molecule
- is V-shaped:
- O
- / \
- H H
-
- Molecules with five bond pairs (and no lone pairs) usually adopt a trigonal
- bipyramid structure eg PCl5 (in the gas phase):
-
- * Cl
- \|
- P-*
- /|
- * Cl
-
- Three of the Cl atoms are in the same plane and form an equalateral triangle.
- These i have represented by a * instead of a Cl. The Cl-P-Cl bond angle (*-P-*)
- is 120 degrees. The other two chlorine atoms are arranged 180 degrees to each
- other and at 90 degrees to the plane of the triangle formed by the three Cl's
- marked *. Three different Cl-P-Cl bond angles are therefore present.
-
-
- Dalamar.
-
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- =============================================================================
-
- Message-ID: <104313Z09071994@anon.penet.fi>
- Newsgroups: alt.drugs
- From: an58264@anon.penet.fi (Dalamar)
- Date: Sat, 9 Jul 1994 10:39:46 UTC
- Subject: CHEMISTRY: Bonding and Structure [missing bond angles]
-
-
- Whoops !
-
- When i was writing the file i left the two bond angles for NH3 and H20 blank
- because i couldn't remember the exact figures. I meant to go and look them up
- but it must have slipped my mind. Anyway, here they are :
-
-
- NH3 = 106 degrees, 45 minutes
-
- H20 = 104 degrees, 27 minutes
-
-
-
- Dalamar.
-
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-
-
-