- #1
sgstudent
- 739
- 3
In my book they explained that a trigonal planar shape is not good because of the 3 lone pair bond-pair repulsions between the unhybridized p orbitals and the 3 trigonal planar bonds. So it would be more favourable to have the orbitals hybridized into a tetrahedral shape to minimize those 90 degrees lone pair-bond pair repulsions.
However, when drawing out the speculative trigonal planar shape of the molecule i thought that the repulsions between the dumbbell shaped lone pair and the 3 bonds should actually cancel out. Because the dumbbell shaped p orbital would protrude out above and beneath the carbon atom like this: http://imgur.com/Sr5h2iR so shouldn't the repulsions between the 3 bond pair and the lone pair be canceled out? And so wouldn't the trigonal planar structure be more favourable for the carbanion?
But i know this is not true but i can't think of a reason for this. Thanks in advance for the help :)
However, when drawing out the speculative trigonal planar shape of the molecule i thought that the repulsions between the dumbbell shaped lone pair and the 3 bonds should actually cancel out. Because the dumbbell shaped p orbital would protrude out above and beneath the carbon atom like this: http://imgur.com/Sr5h2iR so shouldn't the repulsions between the 3 bond pair and the lone pair be canceled out? And so wouldn't the trigonal planar structure be more favourable for the carbanion?
But i know this is not true but i can't think of a reason for this. Thanks in advance for the help :)