What is trigonal planar?

Trigonal planar is a molecular geometry in which a central atom is surrounded by three other atoms or groups of atoms, all situated in one plane. This geometry is commonly found in molecules with a central atom that has three bonding pairs and no lone pairs of electrons.

The bond angles in a trigonal planar molecule are typically 120 degrees, which is the ideal angle for maximizing bond strength and minimizing repulsion between electron pairs. Examples of molecules with a trigonal planar geometry include boron trifluoride (BF3) and formaldehyde (CH2O).

Trigonal planar molecules are generally nonpolar if all the surrounding atoms or groups are the same, causing the bond dipoles to cancel out. However, if the surrounding atoms or groups are different, the molecule may be polar due to uneven distribution of electron density around the central atom.