Lone pair positions are extremely important when trying to draw the most accurate molecule. Here we're going to say that lone pairs will orient themselves in order to decrease the interactions between surrounding elements. Now here when we're drawing different structures, we're paying more attention to those with six electron groups and those with five electron groups.
We're going to say here that with six electron group systems, lone pairs are most stable in the axial position. Within 5 electron group systems, lone pairs are most stable in the equatorial position. Now you might ask, how do I remember this? Well, we have a memory tool for that, and the memory tool is. Just remember, it's a lock as long as you remember the hands of the clock.
So if we take a look here at the first clock, we have the hands giving us a time of 6:00. Now let's just imagine that that circle in the middle, that dark circle, represents our central element. And here this would represent our equator. We're going to say we said when it deals with six electron groups, they are in the axial positions. So remember, axial positions are straight up and straight down, so above and below the equator of our structure. And if we look, they're pointing at 6:00, so we're going to say 6:00 is for six electron groups. The hands are pointing straight up and straight down, just like axial positions point straight up and straight down.
For five electron group systems. Again, we imagine that we have our equator. Here, both the hands are not pointing straight up and straight down. So they wouldn't represent axial positions, they represent equatorial positions. So here we'd say that 5:00 is for five electron groups, right? So just remember, you can remember 6:00 straight up and straight down. Those are actual positions. And you remember lone pairs are most stable in the axial positions. If it's at 5:00, that means both hands are not straight up and straight down. So they couldn't be actual positions, they would be equatorial positions.
So in those cases, lone pairs should be oriented in the equatorial positions to draw the best possible structure. So keep that in mind when we deal with five electron group systems and six electron group systems.