KCET2008ChemistryChemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
The overlapping of orbitals in benzene is of the type
Options
- Asp-sp
- Bsp2-sp3
- Csp ²- sp ²
- Dsp ³- sp ³
Correct answer
C. sp ²- sp ²
Step-by-step solution
The molecular orbital picture of benzene shows that in it all the six carbon atoms are sp ² hybridised. Out of these three s p² ² hybrid orbitals of each C atom, two orbitals overlap with sp ² hybrid orbitals of adjacent C atoms to form six C - C single bonds. The remaining sp ² orbital of each C atom overlaps with -orbital of each hydrogen atom to form six C - H single sigma bonds. Each C atom is now left with one unhybridised -orbital perpendicular to the plane of the ring.