In a tetrahedral molecular geometry a central atom is located at the center with four substituents located at the corners of a tetrahedron. The bond angles are 109.5°. This molecular geometry is found for saturated compounds of carbon and silicon. Other molecules with this particular geometry are the perchlorate ion ClO₄^- and the sulfate ion SO₄^2-.

Inverted tetrahedral geometry

---

Geometrical constraints in a molecule may cause a severe distortion of a tetrahedral geometry towards an inverted one. In inverted carbon for instance all 4 substituents are now on the same side Inverted geometries at carbon Kenneth B. Wiberg Acc. Chem. Res.; 1984; 17(11) pp 379 - 386; .

organic molecules displaying inverted carbon are tetrahedranes and propellanes. The penalty usually is increase in strain energy for the molecule resulting in increased reactivity.

Note that inversion also takes place in so-called Walden inversion and Nitrogen inversion but with different meanings.

See also

---

• The other molecular geometries are collected according to the AXE method.

References

---

External links

---

• Further reading
• Further reading

Molecular geometry