Hybridization
Atomic Orbits
Hybridization
the concept of mixing atomic
orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals
suitable for the qualitative
description of atomic bonding
properties
The sp hybrid atomic orbitals
The sp hybrid atomic orbitals
are possible states of electron in an
atom, especially when it is bonded
to others. These electron states
have half 2s and half 2p characters
For example, the
molecule H-Be-H is
formed due to the
overlapping of two 1s
orbitals of 2 H atoms
and the two sp
hybridized orbitals of
Be. Thus, the H-Be-H
molecule is linear. The
diagram here shows
the overlapping of
AOs in the molecule
H-Be-H
The sp2 hybrid orbitals
The energy states of the valence
electrons in atoms of the second
period are in the 2s and 2p orbitals.
If we mix two of the 2p orbitals with
a 2s orbital, we end up with three
sp2 hybridized orbitals. These
three orbitals lie on a plane, and
they point to the vertices of a
equilateral triangle as shown here.
When the central
atom makes use of
sp2 hybridized
orbitals, the
compound so
formed has a
trigonal shape.
BF3 is such a
molecule:
The sp3 hybrid orbitals
Mixing one s and all
three p atomic orbitals
produces a set of four
equivalent sp3 hybrid
atomic orbitals. The
four sp3 hybrid
orbitals points towards
the vertices of a
tetrahedron, as shown
here in this
photograph
In the case of methane, the three
2p orbitals of the carbon atom are
combined with its 2s orbital to form
four new orbitals called "sp3" hybrid
orbitals.
.
Hybridization Involving Multiple
Bonds
Only a maximum of two electrons
can occupy any orbital whether it is
an atomic orbital or a molecular
orbital due to electron-electron
repulsion.
When we draw a double or a triple-
bond between two atoms, we imply
that either four or six electrons are
directly between these two atoms.
Since this is impossible, we must
have these extra electrons off to the
side in what we refer to as pi bonds.
Therefore, all multiple bonds are
composed of two different kinds of
molecular bonds called pi-bonds and
sigma-bonds.
The sigma-bond is defined as the
linear overlap of atomic orbitals
(hybrids except for hydrogen) in
which two electrons are directly
between the two bonded nuclei.
Pi-bonds are defined as the parallel
overlap of p-orbitals. A double bond
has one sigma-bond and one pi-
bond. A triple bond thus consists of
a sigma-bond and two pi-bonds
with the pi-bonds in different planes
