Energy diagram for hybridized oxygen in CO

[miyayeah]

Homework Statement

Please look at the screenshot attached. The answer is "Yes", but I am not sure why.

Homework Equations

N/A

The Attempt at a Solution

Oxygen have six electrons, but the energy diagram shows only five. That was why I thought it was wrong, but the diagram shown is correct. Can anyone explain why?

 

[TeethWhitener]

There have to be six electrons. Oxygen isn’t charged in CO. The diagram must be wrong.

 

[Bystander]

The diagram must be wrong.

..., unless, it's for bonding electrons from both carbon and oxygen? Seem to recall some sort of quasi-quantum mechanical argument for "bonding/anti-bonding orbitals."

 

[TeethWhitener]

The MO diagram for CO is isoelectronic to N₂ and will have either 6 or 10 electrons, depending on whether you choose to include the σ-σ* bonding-antibonding pair generated from the 2s electrons. The point of the exercise is doubtless to highlight the energy splitting due to the hybridization of s and p orbitals on oxygen, but in no world is 5 electrons correct.

 

[DrDu]

How the heck do you hybridize a diagram?
Furthermore, there is no reason why O in CO should be hybridized at all.

 

[TeethWhitener]

I agree, it doesn’t make much sense for a diatomic. I imagine the point was to show the effects of hybridization on s and p orbital energies, but that’s probably the least of the problems with this example.