PLANAR METHYL

METHYL IS CH3 
valence orbital selected should be 2s and 2p of carbon,1s of hydrogen atom.

Available orbitals: three H 1s orbitals, a C 2s
orbital and three C 2p orbitals.
• Generate delocalized MO’s in accordance to the
rules.
1. Mix C 2s orbital with the three H 1s orbitals. (in
phase forms A & out of phase form E)
2. Mix C 2px and 2py orbitals with the three H 1s
orbitals. (in phase mixing results in MO’s B and C,
out of phase mixing MO’s not shown)

3. C 2pz cannot mix with the H orbitals and thus get
a nonbonding orbital (D)
• Must be a conservation of orbitals...
• Orbitals A-C are bonding orbitals, D is nonbonding
and E is antibonding. The antibonding orbitals
corresponding to B and C are not shown... higher
energy.
• The pair of higher energy orbitals are not typically
occupied or involved in bonding.