---
title: "Phosphorus pentafluoride, \\(\\text{PF}_5\\), is a gas used as a catalyst in specialized polymerization reactions. Based on the Lewis diagram and VSEPR theory, what are the predicted molecular geometry and the ideal bond angles around the central phosphorus atom in a molecule of \\(\\text{PF}_5\\)?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119926/"
date_modified: "2026-08-21T08:18:15+00:00"
---

# Phosphorus pentafluoride, \(\text{PF}_5\), is a gas used as a catalyst in specialized polymerization reactions. Based on the Lewis diagram and VSEPR theory, what are the predicted molecular geometry and the ideal bond angles around the central phosphorus atom in a molecule of \(\text{PF}_5\)?

Phosphorus pentafluoride, \(\text{PF}_5\), is a gas used as a catalyst in specialized polymerization reactions. Based on the Lewis diagram and VSEPR theory, what are the predicted molecular geometry and the ideal bond angles around the central phosphorus atom in a molecule of \(\text{PF}_5\)?

- **A.** Pentagonal planar, with ideal bond angles of \(72^\circ\)
- **B.** Square pyramidal, with ideal bond angles of \(90^\circ\) and \(180^\circ\)
- **C.** Trigonal bipyramidal, with ideal bond angles of \(90^\circ\), \(120^\circ\), and \(180^\circ\)
- **D.** Tetrahedral, with ideal bond angles of \(109.5^\circ\)

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