What is the number of unpaired electron(s) in the highest occupied molecular orbital of the following species : N 2 , N 2 + , O 2 , O 2 + ?

Step-by-step solution

The orbital in which last electron is present is called the highest occupied molecular orbital(HOMO). N 2 : σ 1 s 2 σ * 1 s 2 σ 2 s 2 σ * 2 s 2 π 2 p x 2 = π 2 p y 2 σ 2 p z 2 HOMO N 2 + :   σ 1 s 2 σ * 1 s 2 σ * 2 s 2 σ * 2 s 2 π 2 p x 2 = π 2 p y 2 σ 2 p z 1 HOMO O 2 :   σ 1 s 2 σ * 1 s 2 σ * 2 s 2 σ 2 p z 2 π 2 p x 1 = π * 2 p y 1 HOMO O 2 + :   σ 1 s 2 σ * 1 s 2 σ 2 s 2 σ * 2 s