Octahedral Geometry
A shape with six bonded atoms at the vertices of a regular octahedron, all bond angles being 90° or 180°.
Formula / equation
AX₆
Unit
degrees
In depth
All six positions are equivalent, so a single monosubstituted derivative exists, while disubstituted ones give distinct cis and trans isomers. This is by far the commonest geometry for transition-metal complexes and the one crystal field theory was first developed to describe.
Examples in the real world
SF₆, whose shielded sulfur makes it inert, and countless complexes such as [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺.