Subject: sp^2 hybridization

From: Eric Scerri <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 01:20:32 -0800

When we teach hybridization at an elementary level we say that sp^2
hybridization involves the mixing of three pure atomic orbitals, s, py and
pz.

However the formal expressions for the linear combinations of orbitals show
an asymmetry in that one of the hybrid orbitals consists of contributions
>from s and Py only while the other two hybrid orbitals are genuine mixtures
of all three pure A.O.

My question is whether it is possible to define the hybrid orbitals so that
all three are guninely mixtures of the three pure A.O. and if so why is
this not generally carried out?

regards,
eric scerri

Dr. Eric R. Scerri
Visiting Professor,
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
UCLA,
607 Charles E. Young Drive East,
Los Angles,  CA 90095-1569,
USA

tel:  310 206 7443
fax:  310 206 2061

Web page:  http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/Faculty/scerri/index.html
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From: Mauricio L Cafiero <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 13:20:11 -0700 (MST)

hello:
	I think the answer may be that sp^2 hybrids are mixtures of
Y(l=0,ml=0), Y(l=1,ml=-1), and Y(l=1,ml=+1). If this is taken as a
definition, then you can say that the 3 hybrids are mixtures of the 
3 AO's.

Mauricio Cafiero
Graduate Student: Theoretical and
		  Computational 
		  Quantum Chemistry
Dept. of Chemistry
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ