Symmetry Lab › D3h › Phosphorus pentafluoride
PF₅ Phosphorus pentafluoride
Trigonal bipyramidal · point group D3h · order 12
- Point group
- D3h — A C3 principal axis, 3 perpendicular C2 axes and a horizontal mirror plane; these also give 3 vertical planes.
- Order
- 12
- Operations
- E, 2C₃, 3C₂, σh, 2S₃, 3σᵥ
- Shape
- Trigonal bipyramidal
- Atoms
- 6 (P, F × 5)
Symmetry elements of PF₅
- C₃ — perpendicular to the plane of three F atoms
- C₂ (1) — along one equatorial P–F bond
- C₂ (2) — along one equatorial P–F bond
- C₂ (3) — along one equatorial P–F bond
- σh — the plane of the three equatorial F atoms
- σᵥ (1) — contains the C₃ axis and one equatorial bond
- σᵥ (2) — contains the C₃ axis and one equatorial bond
- σᵥ (3) — contains the C₃ axis and one equatorial bond
- S₃ — rotate 120°, then reflect in σh
Structure
- P–F equatorial 1.534 Å, axial 1.577 Å
- F(eq)–P–F(eq) 120°, F(ax)–P–F(eq) 90°
- No lone pair on P
