Unit The development of electronic theory of covalent bonding ushered organic chemistry into its modern shape. . TETRAVALENCE OF CARBON: SHAPES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS . .
The Shapes of Carbon Compounds The knowledge of fundamental concepts of molecular structure helps in understanding and predicting the properties of organic compounds. You have already learnt theories of valency and molecular structure in Unit . Also, you already know that tetravalence of carbon and the formation of covalent bonds by it are explained in terms of its electronic configuration and the hybridisation of s and p orbitals. It may be recalled that formation and the shapes of molecules like methane (CH ), ethene (C H ), ethyne (C H ) are explained in terms of the use of sp , sp and sp hybrid orbitals by carbon atoms in the respective molecules.
Hybridisation influences the bond length and bond enthalpy (strength) in compounds. The sp hybrid orbital contains more s character and hence it is closer to its nucleus and forms shorter and stronger bonds than the sp hybrid orbital. The sp hybrid orbital is intermediate in s character between sp and sp and, hence, the length and enthalpy of the bonds it forms, are also intermediate between them. The change in hybridisation affects the electronegativity of carbon.
The greater the s character of the hybrid orbitals, the greater is the electronegativity. Thus, a carbon atom having an sp hybrid orbital with % s character is more electronegative than that possessing sp or sp hybridised orbitals. This relative electronegativity is reflected in several physical and chemical properties of the molecules concerned, about which you will learn in later units. .
. Some Characteristic Features of π Bonds In a π (pi) bond formation, parallel orientation of the two p orbitals on adjacent atoms is necessary for a proper sideways overlap. Thus, in H C=CH molecule all the atoms must be in the same plane. The p orbitals are mutually parallel and both the p orbitals are perpendicular to the