Which of the following electron distributions among the molecular orbitals best describes the NO molecule?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The NO molecule has 11 valence electrons, and can be described using MO theory. The molecular orbitals are labeled from lower energy to higher energy: σ(2s), σ*(2s), π(2p), σ(2p), π*(2p), σ*(2p). By filling the orbitals with the 11 electrons, we get a distribution of electrons as follows: (σ(2s))^2(σ*(2s))^2(π(2p))^4(σ(2p))^2(π*(2p))^1(σ*(2p))^0. This electron distribution corresponds to the molecular orbital diagram labeled as Choice B.

Which of the Following Electron Distributions Among the Molecular Orbitals