Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is a linear molecule whose experimental bond lengths are 1.07…
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · CBSE · Chemistry · Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure · Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Problem
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is a linear molecule whose experimental bond lengths are 1.07 Å for H–C and 1.16 Å for the C≡N bond.
Analyze the bonding in HCN in detail.
(1) Identify the hybridization of the valence orbitals on each atom (H, C, and N).
(2) List the specific atomic or hybrid orbitals that overlap to form each of the following: (i) the H–C σ bond, (ii) the σ component of the C≡N bond, and (iii) the two π components of the C≡N bond.
(3) Sketch or thoroughly describe (without using images) the spatial arrangement of the orbitals involved in the triple bond, indicating which overlaps correspond to σ and which to π interactions.
(4) Using your orbital description, justify why the C≡N bond is shorter and stronger than a typical C=N double bond.