Question

Using Fig 14.45 and 14.46 to answer the following questions.a. Would the bonding MO in HF place greater electron density near the H or F atom. Why?b. Would the bonding MO have greater fluorine 2p character, greater hydrogen 1s character or an equal contributionc. Answer parts a and b for the antibonding MO in HF.

Short answer

(a) Electron density will be near Fluorine

(b) Bonding MO has greater fluorine 2p character.

(c) Because the hydrogen 1s atomic orbital has higher energy than the F 2p orbital, the antibonding MO would result in a higher electron density closer to H and a greater contribution from the hydrogen 1s atomic orbital.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1- Reason for electron density near Fluorine

This is due to the fact that the fluorine atom is more electronegative than the hydrogen atom, and fluorine's 2p orbital has lower energy than hydrogen's 1s orbital.

Step 2- Molecular orbital diagram

Because it is closer to the F 2p orbital in energy, the bonding MO in our figure would have more F 2p character.

Antibonding MO in HF

Because the hydrogen 1s atomic orbital has higher energy than the F 2p orbital, the antibonding MO would result in a higher electron density closer to H and a greater contribution from the hydrogen 1s atomic orbital.