antibonding orbitals

[nickh]

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Hi guys,

I'm just wondering how do I tell if a molecule is going to have antibonding orbitals? From google, it seems like diatomic molecules would have those, is that true?

Thanks so much!

 

[DAT Destroyer]

Hi guys,

I'm just wondering how do I tell if a molecule is going to have antibonding orbitals? From google, it seems like diatomic molecules would have those, is that true?

Thanks so much!

Every atom and every molecule has antibonding orbitals, the number of bonding orbitals equals the number of antibonding orbitals.

Hope this helps Nick..

take care..Nancy

 

[nickh]

Hi Nancy,

Thank you so much for your help! So, for #73 in DAT Destroyer orgo, how do we know if there are any electrons in the antibonding orbitals? Or do we just assume there's none because it wasn't given in the question?

Thank you so much again!

 

[DAT Destroyer]

Hi Nancy,

Thank you so much for your help! So, for #73 in DAT Destroyer orgo, how do we know if there are any electrons in the antibonding orbitals? Or do we just assume there's none because it wasn't given in the question?

Thank you so much again!

Anytime you see a neutral molecule always assume electrons populate the lower energy bonding orbitals. Antibonding orbitals are important when dealing with the excited state or when a nucleophile attacks a molecule from the backside, such as that seen in an SN2 reaction.

Consider benzene.......there are six orbitals......3 are bonding......and 3 are antibonding.....Like all aromatic compounds, electrons only populate the bonding molecular orbitals. The antibonding orbitals remain unfilled.

Nancy

 

[nickh]

Awesome, thank you so much again Nancy! 😀