The 14 Molecular Orbitals of Ethylene: σ and π

(The appearance of molecular orbitals may take a few moments)

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[For more on ethylene MO's, click here.]

Surfaces

#1 M.O. [1s, σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#2 M.O. [1s, σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#3 M.O. [σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#4 M.O. [σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#5 M.O. [σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#6 M.O. [σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#7 M.O. [σ, occupied]
Surfaces

#8 M.O. [π, occupied]
Surfaces

#9 M.O. [π, unoccupied]
Surfaces

#10 M.O. [σ, unoccupied]
Surfaces

#11 M.O. [σ, unoccupied]
Surfaces

#12 M.O. [σ, unoccupied]
Surfaces

#13 M.O. [σ, unoccupied]
Surfaces

#14 M.O. [σ, unoccupied]

 The green boxes are occupied MO's; the red ones unoccupied. The π-MO's, #8 and #9, are the most important to us. Each carbon has 5 AO's; each hydrogen 1 AO. For ethylene, C2H4, 5 +5 + (4 x 1) = 14 MO's.