What is the geometry of the bicarbonate ion, #HCO_3^(-)#?

1 Answer
anor277
Aug 14, 2017

#"Bicarbonate anion"# is trigonal planar with respect to the central carbon atom....

Explanation:

You gots #HO-C(=O)-O^(-)#. There are three regions of electron density round the central carbon, and VESPER insists that these adopt a trigonal planar geometry to minimize the interaction of lone electron pairs. Each #/_O-C-O=120^@# to a first approx.

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