Bent Rule and Energetics of Hybridization

Hybridisation describes that atomic orbitals combine and redistribute their energies to form new orbitals which are known as hybrid orbitals. These are identical with respect to energy and shape. Shapes of the hybrid orbital depends upon contribution of s, p orbitals and its affect the energy of hybridisation.

Bent rule provides a qualitative estimation of construction of hybridized orbitals. It states that in a molecule, the central atom bonded to multiple groups will hybridize in such a way that the orbitals having more s- character are directed towards electropositive groups, while the orbitals having more p- character will be directed towards groups that are more electronegative. Bent rule can also be applied to d-block elements, for this the orbitals having more s character are covalently bonded with ligands. Similarly the orbitals having more d character are directed towards groups that form bonds of greater ionic character.


Read More