back to VSEPR base shapes

trigonal planar   sp2

molecular geometries built on 3 electron regions

120°

trigonal planar

generic formula: AX3

example: borane BH3

If there are no lone pairs then the molecular geometry matches the electronic and is trigonal planar. The base bond angle is 120° and there is no reason to tweak the bond to another value.

POLARITY: NON-POLAR - As long as all three positions are the same, then the molecule cannot be polar due to perfect symmetry.

bent or angular

generic formula: AX2E

example: ozone O3

If there is one lone pair on this electronic geometry, the molecular geometry is now bent or angular. The base angle is 120° while the tweaked angle will now be slightly less (118°) due to the extra repulsion from the lone pair.

POLARITY: POLAR - The lone pair electrons throw off the perfectly cancelling symmetry of the three trigonal planar regions thus making the molecule polar.