Checking Hybridization Theory with XH3
By J Michael McBride - Yale
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959
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Lecture Description
This lecture brings experiment to bear on the previous theoretical discussion of bonding by focusing on hybridization of the central atom in three XH3 molecules. Because independent electron pairs must not overlap, hybridization can be related to molecular structure by a simple equation. The "Umbrella Vibration" and the associated rehybridization of the central atom is used to illustrate how a competition between strong bonds and stable atoms works to create differences in molecular structure that discriminate between bonding models. Infrared and electron spin resonance experiments confirm our understanding of the determinants of molecular structure.
Course Description
This is the first semester in a two-semester introductory course focused on current theories of structure and mechanism in organic chemistry, their historical development, and their basis in experimental observation. The course is open to freshmen with excellent preparation in chemistry and physics, and it aims to develop both taste for original science and intellectual skills necessary for creative research.
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