Covalent bonding single bonds

Table 1.2 The energy of some covalent bonds Single bonds Energy kJ mol Dipole Double bonds Energy kJ/mol Dipole...

Unlike the forces between ions which are electrostatic and without direction, covalent bonds are directed in space. For a simple molecule or covalently bonded ion made up of typical elements the shape is nearly always decided by the number of bonding electron pairs and the number of lone pairs (pairs of electrons not involved in bonding) around the central metal atom, which arrange themselves so as to be as far apart as possible because of electrostatic repulsion between the electron pairs. Table 2.8 shows the essential shape assumed by simple molecules or ions with one central atom X. Carbon is able to form a great many covalently bonded compounds in which there are chains of carbon atoms linked by single covalent bonds. In each case where the carbon atoms are joined to four other atoms the essential orientation around each carbon atom is tetrahedral. 

As in the case of NH4 the charge is distributed over the whole ion. By considering each multiple bond to behave spatially as a single bond we are again able to use Table 2.8 to correctly deduce that the carbonate ion has a trigonal planar symmetry. Structures for other covalently-bonded ions can readily be deduced. 

As in the case of ions we can assign values to covalent bond lengths and covalent bond radii. Interatomic distances can be measured by, for example. X-ray and electron diffraction methods. By halving the interatomic distances obtained for diatomic elements, covalent bond radii can be obtained. Other covalent bond radii can be determined by measurements of bond lengths in other covalently bonded compounds. By this method, tables of multiple as well as single covalent bond radii can be determined. A number of single covalent bond radii in nm are at the top of the next page. 

When elements in Period 2 form covalent bonds, the 2s and 2p orbitals can be mixed or hybridised to form new, hybrid orbitals each of which has. effectively, a single-pear shape, well suited for overlap with the orbital of another atom. Taking carbon as an example the four orbitals 2s.2p.2p.2p can all be mixed to form four new hybrid orbitals (called sp because they are formed from one s and three p) these new orbitals appear as in Figure 2.9. i.e. they... 

The broken lines indicate hydrogen bonds. The full lines are to show the structure, they do not simply represent single covalent bonds. 

Moving now to nitrogen we see that it has four covalent bonds (two single bonds + one double bond) and so its electron count is 5(8) = 4 A neutral nitrogen has five electrons m its valence shell The electron count for nitrogen m nitric acid is one less than that of a neutral nitrogen atom so its formal charge is +1... 

Covalent radii (Table 4.7) are the distance between two kinds of atoms connected by a covalent bond of a given type (single, double, etc.). 

A peroxide oi peioxo compound contains at least one pair of oxygen atoms, bound by a single covalent bond, in which each oxygen atom has an oxidation number of —. The peroxide group can be attached to a metal, M, through one (1) or two (2) oxygen atoms, or it can bridge two metals (3) ... 

Note that these compounds are covalently bonded compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon. The differences in their strucmral formulas are apparent the alkanes have only single bonds in their structural formulas, while the alkenes have one (and only one) double bond in their structural formulas. There are different numbers of hydrogen atoms in the two analogous series. This difference is due to the octet rule that carbon must satisfy. Since one pair of carbon atoms shares a double bond, this fact reduces the number of electrons the carbons need (collectively) by two, so there are two fewer hydrogen atoms in the alkene than in the corresponding alkane. 

The peptide linkage is usually portrayed by a single bond between the carbonyl carbon and the amide nitrogen (Figure 5.3a). Therefore, in principle, rotation may occur about any covalent bond in the polypeptide backbone because all three kinds of bonds (N——C, and the —N peptide bond) are sin-... 

A large body of experimental evidence confirms that covalent bonds have characteristic distances depending on bond type. Carbon-carbon single and double bond lengths are around 1.54A and 1.32A, respectively, while partial double bond distances, e.g., in benzene, are about 1.40A. 

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