Multiple and single bond energies in inorganic molecules

Abstract

The new method of calculating bond energies recently reported has now been extended to include multiple bonds. For carbon-carbon double and triple bonds the energy is 1·50 and 1·75 times the single bond energy when corrected for the multiple bond length. These multiplicity factors are used to calculate the single bond energies for nitrogen and oxygen that would correspond to the experimental bond lengths and dissociation energies of N 2 and O 2. Three different single bond energy contributions each for nitrogen and oxygen are thus determined, and estimates are made for similar values for fluorine, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine. The possible significance of such values is discussed in terms of bond energy calculations for 141 gaseous molecules, based on a consideration of the effect of lone pair electrons in bond weakening. Calculated bond energies for CO, CO 2, NO, NO 2, and other compounds are in excellent agreement with the experimental values.