Draw the Lewis structure of acetonitrile (CH₃CN) and then choose the appropriate pair of molecular geometries of the two central atoms. Your answer choice is independent of the orientation of your drawn structure.
Formal Charges
Formal charges have an important role in organic chemistry since this concept helps us to know whether an atom in a molecule is neutral/bears a positive or negative charge. Even if some molecules are neutral, the atoms within that molecule need not be neutral atoms.
Polarity Of Water
In simple chemical terms, polarity refers to the separation of charges in a chemical species leading into formation of two polar ends which are positively charged end and negatively charged end. Polarity in any molecule occurs due to the differences in the electronegativities of the bonded atoms. Water, as we all know has two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom. As oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen thus, there exists polarity in the bonds which is why water is known as a polar solvent.
Valence Bond Theory Vbt
Valence bond theory (VBT) in simple terms explains how individual atomic orbitals with an unpaired electron each, come close to each other and overlap to form a molecular orbital giving a covalent bond. It gives a quantum mechanical approach to the formation of covalent bonds with the help of wavefunctions using attractive and repulsive energies when two atoms are brought from infinity to their internuclear distance.
Draw the Lewis structure of acetonitrile (CH₃CN) and then choose the appropriate pair of molecular geometries of the two central atoms. Your answer choice is independent of the orientation of your drawn structure.
**Molecular Geometry Choices:**
Below the Lewis structure diagram, choose among the following molecular geometry pairs for the two central atoms (the two carbon atoms in this case):
A) tetrahedral / linear
B) trigonal planar / bent (120°)
C) trigonal / trigonal pyramidal
D) planar / tetrahedral
E) linear / pyramidal
**Analyzing Molecular Geometry:**
1. **Tetrahedral Geometry:**
- A geometry where a central atom is bonded to four other atoms positioned at the corners of a tetrahedron.
2. **Linear Geometry:**
- A geometry where the central atom forms a straight line with its bonded atoms, often resulting in a bond angle of 180°.
3. **Trigonal Planar Geometry:**
- A central atom is bonded to three atoms, forming a triangle in a single plane, typically with 120° bond angles.
4. **Bent Geometry:**
- This occurs in certain molecules where there is a central atom bonded to two other atoms with one or more lone pairs, typically leading to bond angles of about 120°.
5. **Trigonal Pyramidal Geometry:**
- This consists of a central atom bonded to three atoms in a pyramidal shape as opposed to in a single plane.
**Conclusion:**
Based on the Lewis structure, the proper molecular geometry pairs can be determined. For acetonitrile (CH₃CN), the first carbon (bonded to three hydrogen atoms) exhibits a **tetrahedral** geometry, while the carbon triple](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F42c9ca3c-cb39-47fb-a603-0de5ef67ab03%2F07ff7583-8cc3-48ee-95f6-f8093bf73981%2F6s7rd5_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
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