Hybridisation Theory Essay

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Hybridisation Theory 1|Page Submitted By: Sameer Taneja HIBRIDISATION THEORY Orbital Hybridisation: In chemistry, hybridisation (or hybridization) is the concept of mixing atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals suitable for the qualitative description of atomic bonding properties. Hybridised orbitals are very useful in the explanation of the shape of molecular orbitals for molecules. It is an integral part of valence bond theory. Although sometimes taught together with the valence shell electron-pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory, valence bond and hybridization are in fact not related to the VSEPR model. Historical Development: Chemist Linus Pauling first developed the hybridisation theory in order to explain the structure of molecules such as methane (CH4).[2] This concept was developed for such simple chemical systems, but the approach was later applied more widely, and today it is considered an effective heuristic for rationalizing the structures of organic compounds. Hybridisation theory is not as practical for quantitative calculations as molecular orbital theory. Problems with hybridisation are especially notable when the d orbitals are involved in bonding, as incoordination chemistry and organometallic chemistry. Although hybridisation schemes in transition metal chemistry can be used, they are not generally as accurate. 2|Page Orbitals are a model representation of the behaviour of electrons within molecules. In the case of simple hybridisation, this approximation is based on atomic orbitals, similar to those obtained for the hydrogen atom, the only atom for which an exact analytic solution to its Schrödinger equation is known. In heavier atoms, like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, the atomic orbitals used are the 2s and 2p orbitals, similar to excited state orbitals for hydrogen. Hybridised

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