How many s-sp² sigma bonds are in the following compound?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To count the number of sigma bonds, we need to look at each bond individually. There are 5 C-C single bonds, which each have 1 sigma bond. There is 1 C-N single bond, which has 1 sigma bond. There is 1 C=O double bond, which has 1 sigma bond and 1 pi bond. There is 1 P=O double bond, which has 1 sigma bond and 1 pi bond. Therefore, the total number of sigma bonds is 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8. However, the question specifies s-sp² sigma bonds, which means we only count the sigma bonds in the s-orbitals and the sp-hybridized orbitals. The sp-hybridized orbitals include the C-N bond and the C=O bond, so we count 2 sigma bonds from those. The s-orbital sigma bonds include the P=O double bond and one of the C-C single bonds (since the other 4 C-C bonds are in sp3 hybridized orbitals), so we count 2 sigma bonds from those. Therefore, the total number of s-sp² sigma bonds is 2 + 2 = 4. The best choice is D because it correctly identifies the number of s-sp² sigma bonds with the explanation.

How Many S-Sp2 Sigma Bonds Are in the Following Compound

How Many S-Sp² Sigma Bonds Are in the Following Compound