March 28, 2024, 06:16:53 PM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Why is O2 diradical?  (Read 7447 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline alex.padmore

  • Very New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
Why is O2 diradical?
« on: February 25, 2008, 04:42:38 PM »
Hi,

Just wondering if someone could explain to me why O2 is diradical.

Cheers,

Alex

Offline Yggdrasil

  • Retired Staff
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3215
  • Mole Snacks: +485/-21
  • Gender: Male
  • Physical Biochemist
Re: Why is O2 diradical?
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2008, 07:44:06 PM »
It has to do with the molecular orbital diagram of oxygen (see link below).  The last two electrons go into a degenerate set of antibonding pi orbitals and, following Hund's rule, you have two unpaired electrons instead of a pair of electrons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_orbital_diagram#Dioxygen_MO_diagram

Sponsored Links