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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: alex.padmore on February 25, 2008, 04:42:38 PM

Title: Why is O2 diradical?
Post by: alex.padmore on February 25, 2008, 04:42:38 PM

Hi,

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

Cheers,

Alex

Title: Re: Why is O2 diradical?
Post by: Yggdrasil 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