Electronic Transition in Butadiene

Electronic Transition in Butadiene

Electronic Transition Expected in Butadiene

Electronic Transition Expected in 1,3-Butadiene (C4H6)

The energy order of molecular orbitals of butadiene (CH2=CH-CH=CH2) is shown below-

Electronic Transition Expected in Butadiene

Butadiene is a conjugated system having two two 𝝅-bonds. Two 𝝅-molecular orbitals of two alkene groups interact to form two ℼ1 & ℼ2 bonding orbitals and two ℼ* molecular orbitals of two alkene groups interact to form two ℼ*3 & ℼ*4 antibonding orbitals. Hence, the energy of ℼ2 is raised but that of ℼ*3 is lowered. So, the energy gap becomessmall between filled ℼ2 and vacant ℼ*3. As a result, lesser amount of energy can cause ℼ2 → ℼ*3 transition. Hence, the absorption in butadiene appears at higher λmax at 217nm than that in ethylene at λmax 170nm due to conjugation.
In conjugated dienes, ℼ → ℼ* transition results in K band, In the longer conjugated dienes like carotene, λmax goes to visible range i.e. at higher wavelength towards red light.

Electronic Transition Expected in Ethene

Electronic Transition Expected in Formaldehyde



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