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Ch. 1 - Remembering General Chemistry: Electronic Structure and Bonding (Part 2)
Bruice - Organic Chemistry 8th Edition
Bruice8th EditionOrganic ChemistryISBN: 9780135213711Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBruice 8th EditionCh. 1 - Remembering General Chemistry: Electronic Structure and Bonding (Part 2)Problem 39d
Chapter 2, Problem 39d

Describe the orbitals used in bonding and the bond angles in the following compounds:
d. N2

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1
Identify the type of bonding in N₂: Nitrogen (N) forms a triple bond with another nitrogen atom in N₂. This triple bond consists of one sigma (σ) bond and two pi (π) bonds.
Determine the orbitals involved in the sigma bond: The sigma bond is formed by the head-on overlap of two sp-hybridized orbitals, one from each nitrogen atom.
Determine the orbitals involved in the pi bonds: The two pi bonds are formed by the side-by-side overlap of unhybridized p orbitals (px and py) from each nitrogen atom.
Analyze the bond angles: Since the nitrogen atoms in N₂ are sp-hybridized, the molecule is linear, and the bond angle is 180°.
Summarize the bonding and geometry: N₂ has a triple bond (1 σ bond and 2 π bonds), and the molecule is linear with a bond angle of 180° due to sp hybridization.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the process of combining atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals that are suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds. In the case of nitrogen (N2), the two nitrogen atoms undergo sp hybridization, resulting in the formation of two sp hybrid orbitals that are used to create a triple bond between them.
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Bond Angles

Bond angles are the angles formed between adjacent bonds in a molecule, which are influenced by the hybridization of the orbitals involved. For N2, the bond angle is not applicable in the traditional sense since it is a diatomic molecule with a linear geometry, resulting in a bond angle of 180 degrees between the two nitrogen atoms.
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Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule. In N2, the linear geometry arises from the sp hybridization of the nitrogen atoms, leading to a straight-line arrangement that maximizes the distance between the bonding electrons, thereby minimizing repulsion and stabilizing the molecule.
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