P-orbitals

An s orbital is spherically symmetrical and can contain a maximum of two electrons with opposed spins. A p orbital has a solid figure-of-eight shape there are three equivalent p orbitals for each principal quantum number they correspond to the three axes of rectangular coordinates. 

The above definitions must be qualified by stating that for principal quantum number I there are only s orbitals for principal quantum number 2 there are only s and p orbitals for principal quantum number 3 there are only s, p and d orbitals for higher principal quantum numbers there are s, p, d and f orbitals. 

To arrive at the electronic configuration of an atom the appropriate number of electrons are placed in the orbitals in order of energy, the orbitals of lower energy being filled first (Aufbau principle ), subject to the proviso that for a set of equivalent orbitals - say the three p orbitals in a set - the electrons are placed one... 

Xu B-C and Stratt R M 1990 Liquid theory for band struoture in a liquid. II. p orbitals and phonons J. Chem. Phys. 92 1923-35... 

The H3 and H4 systems were discussed above. Another type of sigma bonds involves a p orbital lying along the reaction coordinate, as, for example, in reaction (15) (Fig. 8). 

This is an example of a Mobius reaction system—a node along the reaction coordinate is introduced by the placement of a phase inverting orbital. As in the H - - H2 system, a single spin-pair exchange takes place. Thus, the reaction is phase preserving. Mobius reaction systems are quite common when p orbitals (or hybrid orbitals containing p orbitals) participate in the reaction, as further discussed in Section ni.B.2. 

UNSUBSTITUTED BUTADIENE. Butadiene anchors were presented in Figures 1(3) and 13. The basic tetrahedral character of the conical intersection (as for H4) is expected to be maintained, when considering the re-pairing of four electrons. Flowever, the situation is more complicated (and the photochemistiy much richer), since here p electrons are involved rather than s electrons as in H4. It is therefore necessary to consider the consequences of the p-orbital rotation, en route to a new sigma bond. 

Table 2.6 shows the electron affinities, for the addition of one electron to elements in Periods 2 and 3. Energy is evolved by many atoms when they accept electrons. In the cases in which energy is absorbed it will be noted that the new electron enters either a previously unoccupied orbital or a half-filled orbital thus in beryllium or magnesium the new electron enters the p orbital, and in nitrogen electron-pairing in the p orbitals is necessary. 

In elements of Periods 2 and 3 the four orbitals are of two kinds the first two electrons go into a spherically symmetrical orbital—an s orbital with a shape like that shown in Figure 2.7—and the next six electrons into three p orbitals each of which has a roughly doublepear shape, like those shown unshaded in each half of Figure 2.10. 

HMO theory is named after its developer, Erich Huckel (1896-1980), who published his theory in 1930 [9] partly in order to explain the unusual stability of benzene and other aromatic compounds. Given that digital computers had not yet been invented and that all Hiickel s calculations had to be done by hand, HMO theory necessarily includes many approximations. The first is that only the jr-molecular orbitals of the molecule are considered. This implies that the entire molecular structure is planar (because then a plane of symmetry separates the r-orbitals, which are antisymmetric with respect to this plane, from all others). It also means that only one atomic orbital must be considered for each atom in the r-system (the p-orbital that is antisymmetric with respect to the plane of the molecule) and none at all for atoms (such as hydrogen) that are not involved in the r-system. Huckel then used the technique known as linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) to build these atomic orbitals up into molecular orbitals. This is illustrated in Figure 7-18 for ethylene. 

We can now assign the four carbon p-orbitals, one to each carbon. For simplicity, we will label them with the subscript corresponding to the number of the carbon atom to which the AO belongs. We will use the symbol p to denote AOs and P for MOs. We can now write the Hiickel matrix as a square matrix involving the AOs as shown in Figure 7-20. 

Figure 7-23. The polarizing effect ofd-orfeitals. a) The energy of the. t-MO can be lowered slightly by shifting the centers of the AOs slightly towards the center of the bond, b) The lobes ca n be directed towards each other by mixing soine d-character into the p-orbitals. The effect is exaggerated for clarity.

In sorn e situation s, using this option m ay he im portan t. For exam -pic, if p orbitals on electronegative atoms irileracL with d orbitals, (as for a silicon atom bonded to an amine group), you may want to include d orbitals. 

The zeroth-order Gaussian function has s-orbital angular symmetry the three first-order iTiiissian functions have p-orbital symmetry. In normalised form these are ... 

In a closed-shell system, P = P) = P and the Fock matrix elements can be obtained by making this substitution. If a basis set containing s, p orbitals is used, then many of the one-centre integrals nominally included in INDO are equal to zero, as are the core elements Specifically, only the following one-centre, two-electron integrals are non-zero (/x/x /x/x), (pit w) and (fti/lfM/). The elements of the Fock matrix that are affected can then be written a." Uxllow s ... 

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