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The Arsenic pentafluoride Lewis structure is As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond and As–F single bond; the central As has 5 electron domains (0 lone pairs), giving a trigonal bipyramidal electron-domain arrangement and a trigonal bipyramidal molecular geometry with a 90° / 120° bond angle. As is best described as sp3d-hybridized, and Arsenic pentafluoride is nonpolar because the bond dipoles cancel by molecular symmetry.
Figure 1: Lewis Structure of Arsenic pentafluoride (AsF5)
| Chemical Formula | AsF5 |
| CAS Number | 7784-36-3 |
| Total Valence Electrons | 40 |
| Lewis Structure | As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond and As–F single bond |
| Electron-Domain Geometry | trigonal bipyramidal |
| Molecular Geometry | trigonal bipyramidal |
| Hybridization Model | sp3d (central As) |
| Bond Angle | 90° / 120° |
| Polarity | Nonpolar molecule |
Arsenic pentafluoride 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 Arsenic pentafluoride Lewis structure we first count the total valence electrons. AsF5 contains 5 (As) + 5×7 (F); the net charge of 0 gives a total of 40 valence electrons to place.
The central atom is As. 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 = 5 (As) + 5×7 (F) = 40 electrons.
Place As 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: As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond and As–F single bond; no lone pairs on As.
Counting bonding and nonbonding electrons around As therefore satisfies the octet/expanded-octet requirement for the drawn structure.
VSEPR theory states that the 5 electron domains around As arrange to minimize mutual repulsion, giving an trigonal bipyramidal 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 bipyramidal; the As bond angle is set to 90° / 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 As, 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, As uses sp3d hybrid orbitals to form the 5 equivalent electron-domain directions (5 bonding + 0 lone pair).
Formal charge on central As = V − N − ½B = 5 − 0 − ½×10 = 0. The preferred Lewis structure carries zero formal charge on the central atom (and on the terminals), so it is the dominant contributor.
Arsenic pentafluoride is nonpolar. Although individual As–terminal bonds are polar when the atoms differ in electronegativity, the trigonal bipyramidal geometry makes their vector sum zero, so there is no net molecular dipole.
A common misconception is that polar bonds guarantee a polar molecule. Arsenic pentafluoride shows the opposite: identical bond dipoles arranged with trigonal bipyramidal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic pentafluoride | AsF5 | As | 5 | trigonal bipyramidal | Nonpolar |
| Arsenic trifluoride | AsF3 | As | 4 | trigonal pyramidal | Polar |
Arsenic pentafluoride is nonpolar. Its trigonal bipyramidal symmetry cancels the bond dipoles exactly.
As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond, As–F single bond and As–F single bond; no lone pairs on As. It uses all 40 valence electrons and the preferred structure carries zero formal charge on the central atom.
The As angle is about 90° / 120°. Lone-pair repulsion compresses the angle from the ideal trigonal bipyramidal value.
The conventional model is sp3d. Arsenic pentafluoride has 5 electron domains around the central As.
The CAS number is 7784-36-3. PubChem (CID 82223) and NIST identify this with AsF5; 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 7784-36-3 identifies the substance, not a universal purity specification.
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