CHEMICAL BONDING AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

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characteristic feature of this order is that the

Theimportant Electronic Configuration and
encrgy of o2p. molecular orbital is higher than that of r2 p, Molecular Behaviour
orbitals.
and n2p, molecular The distribution of electrons in various molecular
2P
orbitals is called the electronic configuration of the
molecule.
Electronic configurations gives the following
information. These informations are as follows.
2p, 2P, 2P 2p, 2p, 2P. ) Stability of Molecules If the number of
Increasing
energy
electrons occupying bonding orbitals are
represented by N, and the number of
electrons occupying he antibonding orbitals
by N, then
" the moBecule is stable if N, > N, and
2s
" the molecule is unstable if N, <N,.
(i) Bond Order As already defined it is one half of
the difference between the number of electrons
present in the bonding and the antibonding
ß, orbitals i.e.
ls
Bond order (BO) = 1/2(N, - N,)
Fig. 5.19 Molecular orbitals energy level If N, >N, ’ molecule is stable.
diagram for O2, Fz and Ne, IfN, <N, or N, = N, molecule is unstable.
(iii) Nature of the Bond If bond order is 1,2 or 3,
it shows the presence of single, double or triple
bonds respectively.
(iv) Bond-Length It is measured with the help of
2p 2p bond order. The bond length decreases as the
bond order increases.
Increasing
energy (v) Magnetic Nature If all the molecular orbitals in
a molecule are doubly occupied i.e. contains two
electrons, the substance is diamagnetic (repelled
by magnetic field). e.g. N, molecule.
However, if one or more molecular orbitals are
singly occupied, the molecule is paramagnetic
(attracted by magnetic field). e.g.O, molecule.
Gls Bonding in Some Homonuclear
Diatomic Molecules
Here the term homonucdear means that there is only
(For Li,, Be,. B,. Co. N, molecules) one type of nucleus, i.e. one element is present and
Fig. 5.20 Molecular orbital energy level diagram diatomic means that the molecule is composed of
two atoms.
for Liz, Be,, B2, C, and N, molecules