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The Tellurium trioxide Lewis structure is Te–O double bond, Te–O double bond and Te–O double bond; the central Te has 3 electron domains (0 lone pairs), giving a trigonal planar electron-domain arrangement and a trigonal planar molecular geometry with a 120° bond angle. Te is best described as sp2-hybridized, and Tellurium trioxide is nonpolar because the bond dipoles cancel by molecular symmetry.
Figure 1: Lewis Structure of Tellurium trioxide (O3Te)
| Chemical Formula | O3Te |
| CAS Number | 13451-18-4 |
| Total Valence Electrons | 24 |
| Lewis Structure | Te–O double bond, Te–O double bond and Te–O double bond |
| Electron-Domain Geometry | trigonal planar |
| Molecular Geometry | trigonal planar |
| Hybridization Model | sp2 (central Te) |
| Bond Angle | 120° |
| Polarity | Nonpolar molecule |
Tellurium trioxide is encountered as a reagent, intermediate or specialty chemical in inorganic, organometallic and materials synthesis. Confirm grade, purity and supplier documentation (SDS) before specifying for a process.
To draw the Tellurium trioxide Lewis structure we first count the total valence electrons. O3Te contains 3×6 (O) + 6 (Te); the net charge of 0 gives a total of 24 valence electrons to place.
The central atom is Te. It is the least electronegative atom capable of forming multiple bonds and is surrounded by the more electronegative terminal atom(s); hydrogen, when present, always occupies a terminal position. Electronegativity considerations place the electron density toward the terminal atom(s).
Total valence electrons = 3×6 (O) + 6 (Te) = 24 electrons.
Place Te at the center and connect each surrounding atom with a single bond, complete octets on the terminal atoms, and place any remaining electrons on the central atom. The resulting electron distribution is: Te–O double bond, Te–O double bond and Te–O double bond; no lone pairs on Te.
Counting bonding and nonbonding electrons around Te therefore satisfies the octet/expanded-octet requirement for the drawn structure.
This species is best represented by resonance structures; the π bonding is delocalized over the equivalent terminal atom(s), so all Te–terminals bonds are equivalent in the resonance hybrid.
VSEPR theory states that the 3 electron domains around Te arrange to minimize mutual repulsion, giving an trigonal planar electron-domain geometry.
Because 0 of these domains are lone pair(s) — and lone pairs repel more strongly than bonding pairs — the observed molecular geometry is trigonal planar; the Te bond angle is set to 120° rather than the ideal value for the electron-domain geometry.
A useful VSEPR approximation is: lone pair–lone pair repulsion > lone pair–bonding pair repulsion > bonding pair–bonding pair repulsion. With 0 lone pair(s) on Te, the lone-pair domains occupy positions that minimize overall repulsion while pushing the bonding domains (and therefore the bonded atoms) closer together.
In the conventional localized-bond model, Te uses sp2 hybrid orbitals to form the 3 equivalent electron-domain directions (3 bonding + 0 lone pair).
Formal charge on central Te = V − N − ½B = 6 − 0 − ½×12 = 0. The preferred Lewis structure carries zero formal charge on the central atom (and on the terminals), so it is the dominant contributor.
Tellurium trioxide is nonpolar. Although individual Te–terminal bonds are polar when the atoms differ in electronegativity, the trigonal planar geometry makes their vector sum zero, so there is no net molecular dipole.
A common misconception is that polar bonds guarantee a polar molecule. Tellurium trioxide shows the opposite: identical bond dipoles arranged with trigonal planar symmetry cancel exactly, yielding a nonpolar species.
Interpretation consistent with standard VSEPR / molecular-geometry references.Its nonpolar character governs solvation and intermolecular behavior; specify grade and handling when sourcing.
| Species | Formula | Central Atom | Electron Domains | Molecular Geometry | Polarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tellurium trioxide | O3Te | Te | 3 | trigonal planar | Nonpolar |
| Carbon dioxide | CO2 | C | 2 | linear | Nonpolar |
| Carbon monoxide | CO | C | 2 | linear (diatomic) | Polar |
| Carbon disulfide | CS2 | C | 2 | linear | Nonpolar |
Tellurium trioxide is nonpolar. Its trigonal planar symmetry cancels the bond dipoles exactly.
Te–O double bond, Te–O double bond and Te–O double bond; no lone pairs on Te. It uses all 24 valence electrons and the preferred structure carries zero formal charge on the central atom.
The Te angle is about 120°. Lone-pair repulsion compresses the angle from the ideal trigonal planar value.
The conventional model is sp2. Tellurium trioxide has 3 electron domains around the central Te.
The CAS number is 13451-18-4. PubChem (CID 83481) and NIST identify this with O3Te; use it to locate suppliers and database records.
Technical scope: Lewis structures, VSEPR and hybridization are model-based descriptions for chemical communication and structure prediction; actual molecular electronic structure is more accurately represented by molecular-orbital and quantum-chemical methods. Commercial grades vary substantially by supplier and intended use; CAS 13451-18-4 identifies the substance, not a universal purity specification.
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