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Question
How to write the molecular orbital diagram of carbon 2 molecule?
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Solution
Molecular orbital theory:
1. In molecules, electrons are present in the new orbitals called molecular orbitals. Like atomic orbitals, molecular orbitals are also characterized by the set of quantum numbers.
2. The atomic orbitals of nearly same energy and same symmetry can overlap to form molecular orbitals.
3. Molecular orbitals are not associated with a particular atom but belong to the nuclei of all the atoms constituting the molecule, so it is polycentric theory;
4. The number of molecular orbitals formed is equal to the number of atomic orbitals undergoing combination. Half of them are of lower energy called bonding orbitals and half are of higher energy called antibonding orbitals.
5. The shape of the molecular orbitals will be the same as that of the combining atomic orbitals.
Molecular orbital diagram for the boron, carbon, and nitrogen (that is up to 14 electrons) will be different than that of oxygen and fluorine (that is for more than 14 electrons).
This difference is because of the 2s-2p interaction. These molecules are smaller in size, so energy difference between the 2s and 2p orbitals is small and therefore interaction between them takes place which causes the increase of the energy of σ2ps orbital. On the other hand, this interaction is absent in oxygen or fluorine because of the large energy difference between the 2s and 2p orbitals of these molecules.
We can see the difference between two types of molecular orbital diagrams as follows:
1. In molecules, electrons are present in the new orbitals called molecular orbitals. Like atomic orbitals, molecular orbitals are also characterized by the set of quantum numbers.
2. The atomic orbitals of nearly same energy and same symmetry can overlap to form molecular orbitals.
3. Molecular orbitals are not associated with a particular atom but belong to the nuclei of all the atoms constituting the molecule, so it is polycentric theory;
4. The number of molecular orbitals formed is equal to the number of atomic orbitals undergoing combination. Half of them are of lower energy called bonding orbitals and half are of higher energy called antibonding orbitals.
5. The shape of the molecular orbitals will be the same as that of the combining atomic orbitals.
Molecular orbital diagram for the boron, carbon, and nitrogen (that is up to 14 electrons) will be different than that of oxygen and fluorine (that is for more than 14 electrons).
This difference is because of the 2s-2p interaction. These molecules are smaller in size, so energy difference between the 2s and 2p orbitals is small and therefore interaction between them takes place which causes the increase of the energy of σ2ps orbital. On the other hand, this interaction is absent in oxygen or fluorine because of the large energy difference between the 2s and 2p orbitals of these molecules.
We can see the difference between two types of molecular orbital diagrams as follows:
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