Electronic Coupling Between Orbitals

Return to Molecular Orbitals Menu | Next Topic

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination

We will discuss the electronic structure of π-conjugated organic molecules at various levels of complexity. π-conjugated molecules have a sigma electron framework and π electron framework.

Here we start at the simplest level that is basically derived from a Hückel Molecular Orbital approach in order to understand conjugated systems.

In this model, orbitals that are on atoms that are directly π-bonded to one another and whose p-orbitals are in a plane can interact. This interaction is called the electronic coupling between the orbitals which has units of energy. In the Hückel approximation this energy is the same for all carbon p-orbitals that are adjacent to on another and is called Β.