AX4E

	Shapes of Molecules

AX₄E

	Shape:	distorted tetrahedron or see-saw
	Steric Number:	5
	Lone Pair:	1
	Polar/NonPolar:	Polar
	Hybridization:	sp³d
	Example:	TeCl₄
	GIF File:	ax4e.gif (75K)

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NOTES: This molecule is made up of 5 sp³d hybrid orbitals. Three orbitals are arranged around the equator of the molecule with bond angles of 120^o. Two orbitals are arranged along the vertical axis at 90^o from the equatorial orbitals. The shape of the orbitals is trigonal bipyramidal. One of the equatorial orbitals contains a lone pair of electrons. The four atoms are arranged around the central atom of the molecule in a distorted tetrahedral shape.