Q.

What is the number of unpaired electron(s) in the highest occupied molecular orbital of the following species:

N2; N2+; O2; O2+                            [2023]

1 0, 1, 2, 1  
2 2, 1, 2, 1  
3 0, 1, 0, 1  
4 2, 1, 0, 1  

Ans.

(1)

Species Number of Unpaired Electrons
(N2):(σ1s)2(σ*1s)2(σ2s)2(σ*2s)2(π2px2=π2py2)(σ2pz)2 0
(N2+):(σ1s)2(σ*1s)2(σ2s)2(σ*2s)2(π2px2=π2py2)(σ2pz)1 1
(O2): (σ1s)2(σ*1s)2(σ2s)2(σ*2s)2(σ2pz)2(π2px2=π2py2)(π*2px1=π*2py1) 2
(O2+): (σ1s)2(σ*1s)2(σ2s)2(σ*2s)2(σ2pz)2(π2px2=π2py2)(π*2px1=π*2py0) 1