Factors that affect Bond Length

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discowisco

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So I understand that Resonance plays a key role and as well as the atomic radius.

However does ACIDITY play a role? For example if something is more acidic than the other that means that is it more likely to ionize thus meaning a weak bond thus a longer bond length? Or does this theory not apply?

Also how does HYDROGEN BONDING play a role in bond length?

Thanks

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So I understand that Resonance plays a key role and as well as the atomic radius.

However does ACIDITY play a role? For example if something is more acidic than the other that means that is it more likely to ionize thus meaning a weak bond thus a longer bond length? Or does this theory not apply?

Also how does HYDROGEN BONDING play a role in bond length?

Thanks

The fundamental relationship to keep in mind is that bond strength is inversely related to bond length. A stronger bond is shorter. The problem arises in how bond strength is determined. When we say a bond is strong, we refer to the bond having a high bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), that is, the energy input required to break it. A strong bond is harder to break, and requires more input energy, thus has a higher BDE.

For an acidic hydrogen, we observe that the hydrogen is given up easily, implying that the bond to it's conjugate base anion is weak. Consider acetic acid:

images


We know the acid hydrogen is more acidic than the alpha hydrogens, because the conjugate base of acetic acid is acetate, which has lost the proton from the breakage of the O-H bond. This would imply that the O-H bond is weaker than the alpha C-H bonds. However, when BDE is considered, we see that the O-H bond should be stronger than the C-H bonds. Why is a "stronger" bond broken more easily?

The explanation is that acidity is a function of what's called heterolytic bond cleavage. Acidic H's leave as protons, right? They take no electrons with them; those remain with the conjugate base. In contrast, BDE values are derived from homolytic bond cleavage reactions, where the electrons in the bond are split evenly.

In general, more polar bonds are stronger, because the bonding electrons are held more tightly at one end of the bond. This means to redistribute those electrons evenly throughout the bond so it can then be broken homolytically would require more energy than to just break a bond which already has evenly distributed electrons (i.e., a nonpolar bond). The O-H bond in acetic acid is more polar than the alpha C-H bonds, meaning it's harder to break homolytically, and thus has a higher BDE. However, it's much easier to break the O-H bond heterolytically than it is to do the same to the C-H bonds. See the deal?

So if you're referring to bond strength in the context of acidity, you have to be careful how you specify the type of bond cleavage and what measure of "strength" you're using.

With regard to hydrogen bonding, involvement in a hydrogen bond draws the partially positive hydrogen further away from the F/O/N that it's bonded to, and thus lengthens and weakens that bond.

*Note that for carboxylic acids, acidic loss of the acid hydrogen is more thermodynamically favorable than acidic loss of the alpha hydrogens due to resonance stabilization of the oxygen anion, so it's not simply bond polarity contributing to the site of deprotonation. Still, acetic acid provides a simple example for this explanation. One could also just look at ethanol, though we don't consider that as readily acidic as a carboxylic acid.
 
The fundamental relationship to keep in mind is that bond strength is inversely related to bond length. A stronger bond is shorter. The problem arises in how bond strength is determined. When we say a bond is strong, we refer to the bond having a high bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), that is, the energy input required to break it. A strong bond is harder to break, and requires more input energy, thus has a higher BDE.

For an acidic hydrogen, we observe that the hydrogen is given up easily, implying that the bond to it's conjugate base anion is weak. Consider acetic acid:

images


We know the acid hydrogen is more acidic than the alpha hydrogens, because the conjugate base of acetic acid is acetate, which has lost the proton from the breakage of the O-H bond. This would imply that the O-H bond is weaker than the alpha C-H bonds. However, when BDE is considered, we see that the O-H bond should be stronger than the C-H bonds. Why is a "stronger" bond broken more easily?

The explanation is that acidity is a function of what's called heterolytic bond cleavage. Acidic H's leave as protons, right? They take no electrons with them; those remain with the conjugate base. In contrast, BDE values are derived from homolytic bond cleavage reactions, where the electrons in the bond are split evenly.

In general, more polar bonds are stronger, because the bonding electrons are held more tightly at one end of the bond. This means to redistribute those electrons evenly throughout the bond so it can then be broken homolytically would require more energy than to just break a bond which already has evenly distributed electrons (i.e., a nonpolar bond). The O-H bond in acetic acid is more polar than the alpha C-H bonds, meaning it's harder to break homolytically, and thus has a higher BDE. However, it's much easier to break the O-H bond heterolytically than it is to do the same to the C-H bonds. See the deal?

So if you're referring to bond strength in the context of acidity, you have to be careful how you specify the type of bond cleavage and what measure of "strength" you're using.

With regard to hydrogen bonding, involvement in a hydrogen bond draws the partially positive hydrogen further away from the F/O/N that it's bonded to, and thus lengthens and weakens that bond.

*Note that for carboxylic acids, acidic loss of the acid hydrogen is more thermodynamically favorable than acidic loss of the alpha hydrogens due to resonance stabilization of the oxygen anion, so it's not simply bond polarity contributing to the site of deprotonation. Still, acetic acid provides a simple example for this explanation. One could also just look at ethanol, though we don't consider that as readily acidic as a carboxylic acid.


Wait, is it possible to compare BDE between the C-H and O-H bonds? I thought this couldn't be done because of the difference in size of their atomic radii -which would play a role in the strength between bonds.
I would answer the question of acidity playing a factor in bond length with hybridization:

When a molecule is hybridized, it displays a varying percentage of S and P character. Acidity increases as the % S character increases so when a molecule is SP (50% S character) it is more acidic than one that is SP2 (33% S character) or SP3 (25% S character). I think this is rationalized by the fact that a molecule that has an sp hybridization is more resonance stabilized and so on and so forth.
ORBITALS are one of the most important factors that affect Acidity.


So, once you understand hybridization and orbitals you will also understand what things they affect- such as acidity (above) and BOND LENGTH as well: The S orbital is a sphere around the nucleus whereas the P orbital is long dumbbell shaped orbital. The S orbital is much closer (shorter bond length) to the nucleus than the P orbital, and therefore the molecules that have a greater S% will be closer to the nucleus. As it so happens, Acids also display a greater S%.

To summarize: Hybridization is what links Acidity to Bond Length. The greater the percent S character, the shorter (and stronger) the bond length, and also, the more acidic the molecule or atom will be.

This Q:
For example if something is more acidic than the other that means that is it more likely to ionize thus meaning a weak bond thus a longer bond length? Or does this theory not apply?
A: I would say that this theory doesn't apply because if you use the hybridization model I just described, If 'something' is more acidic than the other, this implies that it has a GREATER %S CHARACTER than the other- WHICH in turn implies that the bond is SHORTER (and stronger).

If you're having a hard time getting down the concept of shorter bond/stronger energy, view it this way- Molecules and atoms are in constant motion- Even when they are bonded, they are wriggling around. The shorter the bond length, the less chance they are given to wriggle. Compare a bond that is really long- that bond has much more wriggle space and more chance of breaking.

Sorry this answer was so long, it took me a while to understand it as well, but once i understood the concept, it stuck. Let me know if i made a mistake somewhere conceptually, or otherwise!
 
BTW- i forgot to mention and very important- this is strictly HOMOLYTIC CLEAVAGE. Heterloytic Cleavage has different set of rules
 
So I understand that Resonance plays a key role and as well as the atomic radius.

However does ACIDITY play a role?For example if something is more acidic than the other that means that is it more likely to ionize thus meaning a weak bond thus a longer bond length? Or does this theory not apply?
Acidity is a function of bond length, not the other way around. If the bond length is long, it is less stable. The result, in instances where the bond is attached to a hydrogen, is that the long bond easily breaks and the hydrogen dissociates from the molecule.
 
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