Editing VSEPR theory (section)

==Odd-electron molecules==
The VSEPR theory can be extended to molecules with an odd number of electrons by treating the unpaired electron as a "half electron pair"—for example, Gillespie and Nyholm<ref name="Gill1957"/>{{rp|364–365}} suggested that the decrease in the bond angle in the series [[Nitronium ion|{{chem|NO|2|+}}]] (180°), [[Nitrogen dioxide|NO<sub>2</sub>]] (134°), [[Nitrite|{{chem|NO|2|-}}]] (115°) indicates that a given set of bonding electron pairs exert a weaker repulsion on a single non-bonding electron than on a pair of non-bonding electrons. In effect, they considered nitrogen dioxide as an AX<sub>2</sub>E<sub>0.5</sub> molecule, with a geometry intermediate between {{chem|NO|2|+}} and {{chem|NO|2|-}}. Similarly, [[chlorine dioxide]] (ClO<sub>2</sub>) is an AX<sub>2</sub>E<sub>1.5</sub> molecule, with a geometry intermediate between [[Chloryl|{{chem|ClO|2|+}}]] and [[chlorite|{{chem|ClO|2|-}}]].{{citation needed|date=May 2014}}

Finally, the [[methyl radical]] (CH<sub>3</sub>) is predicted to be trigonal pyramidal like the methyl anion ({{chem|CH|3|-}}), but with a larger bond angle (as in the trigonal planar methyl cation ({{chem|CH|3|+}})). However, in this case, the VSEPR prediction is not quite true, as CH<sub>3</sub> is actually planar, although its distortion to a pyramidal geometry requires very little energy.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Anslyn |first1=E. V. |last2=Dougherty |first2=D. A. |title=Modern Physical Organic Chemistry |publisher=University Science Books |date=2006 |page=57|isbn=978-1891389313}}</ref>