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Q.Draw the molecular orbital (MO) level energy diagram for N2+ ion indicating the different energy levels with the number of electrons in each orbital.

Manipur CohsemCouncil of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2025Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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Figure — Molecular-orbital energy-level diagram of the N2+ cation (13 electrons) with the N2-type ordering (p
Figure — Molecular-orbital energy-level diagram of the N2+ cation (13 electrons) with the N2-type ordering (p

N2+ has one fewer electron than neutral N2 (13 instead of 14); removing it from the highest-energy filled MO (σ2pz) gives a bond order of 2.5.

Nitrogen (N2) is a molecule with total valence+core electrons = 7+7 = 14. Because nitrogen has atomic number ≤ 7 (specifically for B2, C2, N2), the correct molecular orbital energy ordering places the π2p bonding orbitals BELOW the σ2pz bonding orbital (due to s-p mixing).

The MO energy order (increasing energy) for N2 is:

σ1s < σ1s < σ2s < σ2s < π2px = π2py < σ2pz < π2px = π2py < σ*2pz

Filling 14 electrons of neutral N2 into this order:

σ1s^2 σ1s^2 σ2s^2 σ2s^2 π2px^2 π2py^2 σ2pz^2 (uses all 14 electrons)

N2+ has one less electron than N2 (13 electrons total), formed by removing one electron from the highest-occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of N2, which is σ2pz. So N2+'s configuration is:

σ1s^2 σ1s^2 σ2s^2 σ2s^2 π2px^2 π2py^2 σ2pz^1

Counting bonding electrons: σ1s(2) + σ2s(2) + π2px(2) + π2py(2) + σ2pz(1) = 9 …

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