VSEPR (lone pairs taking axial vs equatorial positions)
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VSEPR (lone pairs taking axial vs equatorial positions)
Why do the lone pairs of a molecule with let's say a VSEPR formula AX4E2 take the positions of the axial atoms, whereas the lone pairs of a molecule with a VSEPR formula AX3E2 take the positions of the equatorial atoms?
Re: VSEPR (lone pairs taking axial vs equatorial positions)
When there is a lone pair, the molecule has to be the in the best optimum position available so that the electrons are equally spread apart. So for example, when there is a lone pair in a AX3E2, the best optimum place for the lone pair is in the equitorial axes.
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Re: VSEPR (lone pairs taking axial vs equatorial positions)
In addition, say we replace the lone pairs in AX4E2 with bonded atoms, making it AX6. This molecule is square bipyramidal, which has 90-degree bond angles all around. The atoms replaced with the lone pairs aren't necessarily the axial atoms because the molecule is symmetrical in all directions.
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