What is the number of unpaired electron(s) in the highest occupied molecular orbital of the following…

What is the number of unpaired electron(s) in the highest occupied molecular orbital of the following species : N2, N 2+,  O2,  O2+ ?
  1. 0, 1, 2, 1
  2. 2, 1, 2, 1
  3. 0, 1, 0, 1
  4. 2, 1, 0, 1

Solution

The orbital in which last electron is present is called the highest occupied molecular orbital(HOMO).

N2 : σ1s2σ*1s2σ2s2σ*2s2π2px2=π2py2σ2pz2HOMO

N2+: σ1s2σ*1s2σ*2s2σ*2s2π2px2=π2py2σ2pz1HOMO

O2: σ1s2σ*1s2σ*2s2σ2pz2π2px1=π*2py1HOMO

O2+: σ1s2σ*1s2σ2s2σ*2s2σ2pz2π2px2=π2py2 π*2px1=π*2py0HOMO

N20 unpaired e in HOMO

N2+1 unpaired e- in HOMO

O22 unpaired e- in HOMO

O2+1 unpaired e- in HOMO

Asked in: JEE Main 2023 (24 Jan Shift 2)

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