Relative Stabilities and Reactivities of Isolated Versus Conjugated Alkenes: Reconciliation Via a Molecular Orbital Approach

Author

Chariklia Sotiriou-Leventis, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Samir B. Hanna, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Nicholas Leventis, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow

Abstract

The well-accepted practice of generating a pair of molecular orbitals, one of lower energy and another of higher energy than the original pair of overlapping atomic orbitals, and the concept of a particle in a one-dimensional box are implemented in a simplified, nonmathematical method that explains the relative stabilities and reactivities of alkenes with conjugated versus isolated double bonds. In this method, Huckel-type MO's of higher polyenes are constructed by energy rules of linear combination of atomic orbitals. One additional rule is obeyed: bonding molecular orbitals overlap only with bonding molecular orbitals, and antibonding molecular orbitals overlap only with antibonding molecular orbitals.

Recommended Citation

C. Sotiriou-Leventis et al., "Relative Stabilities and Reactivities of Isolated Versus Conjugated Alkenes: Reconciliation Via a Molecular Orbital Approach," Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 73, no. 4, pp. 295 - 298, American Chemical Society (ACS), Apr 1996.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1021/ed073p295

Department(s)

Chemistry

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0021-9584

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1996 American Chemical Society (ACS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Apr 1996