What is the vsepr model for CHCl3?

1 Answer

#CHCl_3# would have an #AX_4# designation. This would make its shape tetrahedral. It's just like #CH_4# but with Cl atoms replacing three of the hydrogens.

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The molecule has a central carbon. There would be a single covalent bond to three chlorine atoms and a single bond to the one hydrogen atom.

VESPR stands for valence shell electron pair repulsion. This theory basically says that bonding and non-bonding electron pairs of the central atom in a molecule will repel (push away from) each other in three dimensional space and this gives the molecules their shape.

We can use the following notations when examining a Lewis structure of a molecule.
A = central atom
X = peripheral atoms
E = non-bonding electron pairs of the central atom

#AX_2# = linear molecule (example #CO_2#)
#AX_3# = trigonal planar (example #AlH_3#)
#AX_3E# = trigonal pyrimidal (ex. #NH_3#)
#AX_2E_2# = bent (ex. #H_2O#)
#AX_4# = tetrahedral molecule (ex #CH_4#)