Trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry



In chemistry, a trigonal pyramid is a molecular geometry with one atom at the apex and three atoms at the corners of a trigonal base. When all three atoms at the corners are identical, the molecule belongs to point group C3v. Some molecules and ions with trigonal pyramidal geometry are ammonia (NH3), xenon trioxide, XeO3, the chlorate ion, ClO3, and the sulfite ion, SO3. In organic chemistry, molecules which have a trigonal pyramidal geometry are sometimes described as sp hybridized. The AXE method for VSEPR theory states that the classification is AX3E1.