Pauling hybrids

This can be thought about either in terms of hybrid orbitals , e.g., pd and sp hybrids as shown above, or alternatively in terms of a Taylor series expansion of a function (d functions are the first derivatives of p functions, p functions are the first derivatives of s functions). While the first way of thinking is quite familiar to chemists (Pauling hybrids), the second offers the advantage of knowing what steps might be taken next to effect further improvement, i.e., adding second, third,.. . derivatives. 

For most of the molecules and reactions we want to consider, the Pauling hybridization scheme provides an effective structural framework, and we use VB theory to describe most of the reactions and properties of organic compounds. However, we have to keep in mind that it is neither a unique nor a complete description of electron density, and we will find cases where we need to invoke additional ideas. In particular, we discuss molecular orbital theory and density functional theory, which are other ways of describing molecular structure and electron distribution. 

Actually, the recent studies of transition-group spectra have shown that two different models cherished by many theorists— the electrostatic ligand field model and the valency-bond description (more specifically, the Pauling hybridization theory)—cannot be applied to the observed distribution of energy levels. On the other hand, the molecular orbital (M.O.) configurations give an excellent classification of all energy levels of all complexes and a unified description is obtained of all polyatomic molecules. 

The compounds of carbon and silicon with hydrogen would be expected to be completely covalent according to these models, but the dhectionality of the bonds, which is towards the apices of a regular tetrahedron, is not explained by these considerations. Another of Pauling s suggestions which accounts for this type of directed covalent bonding involves so-called hybrid bonds. 

The concepts of directed valence and orbital hybridization were developed by Linus Pauling soon after the description of the hydrogen molecule by the valence bond theory. These concepts were applied to an issue of specific concern to organic chemistry, the tetrahedral orientation of the bonds to tetracoordinate carbon. Pauling reasoned that because covalent bonds require mutual overlap of orbitals, stronger bonds would result from better overlap. Orbitals that possess directional properties, such as p orbitals, should therefore be more effective than spherically symmetric 5 orbitals. 

The concept of hybrid orbitals is deeply ingrained in the thinking of organic chemists, as widely reflected in texts and the research literature. However, Pauling and others recognized that there was a different conceptual starting point in which multiple bonds can be represented as bent bonds. ... 

In his valence bond theory (VB), L. Pauling extended the idea of electron-pair donation by considering the orbitals of the metal which would be needed to accommodate them, and the stereochemical consequences of their hybridization (1931-3). He was thereby able to account for much that was known in the 1930s about the stereochemistry and kinetic behaviour of complexes, and demonstrated the diagnostic value of measuring their magnetic properties. Unfortunately the theory offers no satisfactory explanation of spectroscopic properties and so was... 

An answer was provided in 1931 by Linus Pauling, who showed how an s orbital and three p orbitals on an atom can combine mathematically, or hybridize, to form four equivalent atomic orbitals with tetrahedral orientation. Shown in Figure 1.10, these tetrahedrally oriented orbitals are called sp3 hybrids. Note that the superscript 3 in the name sp3 tells how many of each type of atomic orbital combine to form the hybrid, not how many electrons occupy it. 

Pauling, L. Correlation of Nonorthogonality of Best Hybrid Bond Orbitals with Bond Strength of Orthogonal Orbitals Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 1976, 73, 274-275. 

Herman, Z.S. Pauling, L. Hybrid Bond Orbitals and Bond Strengths for Pentacovalent Bonding Croat. Chem. Acta 1984, 57, 765-778. 

This system is based on the observations (Pauling 1947) that a linear relation between single-bond radius and atomic number holds for bonds of constant hybrid character, and that for an element the single-bond radius is (at least approximately) linearly dependent on the d character of the dsp hybrid bond orbitals. 

A transargononic structure for sulfur, with six bonds formed by sp3d2 hybrid orbitals, was suggested for sulfur in the octahedral molecule SF6 long ago, and also for one of the sulfur atoms, with ligancy 6, in binnite (Pauling and Neuman, 1934). Some transargononic structures of metal sulfides have been proposed recently by Franzen (1966). 

The orbitals containing the bonding electrons are hybrids formed by the addition of the wave functions of the s-, p-, d-, and f- types (the additions are subject to the normalization and orthogonalization conditions). Formation of the hybrid orbitals occurs in selected symmetric directions and causes the hybrids to extend like arms on the otherwise spherical atoms. These arms overlap with similar arms on other atoms. The greater the overlap, the stronger the bonds (Pauling, 1963). 

Soon after the quantum revolution of the mid 1920s, Linus Pauling and John C. Slater expanded Lewis s localized electronic-structural concepts with the introduction of directed covalency in which bond directionality was achieved by the hybridization of atomic orbitals.1 For normal and hypovalent molecules, Pauling and Slater proposed that sp" hybrid orbitals are involved in forming shared-electron-pair bonds. Time has proven this proposal to be remarkably robust, as has been demonstrated by many examples in Chapter 3. 

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