Electronic transitions Diatomic and polyatomic molecules
Electronic transitions
Diatomic and polyatomic molecules
X
A
B
A
a
b
Potential curves and the electronic states
e.g., singlet
e.g., triplet
Vib-rot
Vib-rot
Orbitals and states
Diatomic molecule
elelelel EH ψψ =ˆThe approximate solution of equation is accomplihed by assuming that ψelis made up of molecular orbitals MO:
elelelel EH ψψ =ˆ
)(
)...3()2()1( 211
BjiB
AjiA
ji
el
jjCC φφφ
φφφψ
+=
=
∑are atomic orbitals localized on atoms A and B, respectively.
)(
)...2()1(
iiMO
MOMO
c φφ
φφψ
∑=
=
Electronic wavefunctions are constructed insuch way that they are eigenfunctions ofthe symmmetry operators for a specificmolecular point group
(Within Born –Oppenheimer Approximation)
Polyatomic molecule
The electronic wavefunctions are simultaneously eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian because the symmetry operator commute with the electronic Hamiltonian
[Hel ,OR ]=0
They wf are classified by the irreducible representations of the appropriatemolecular point group and the electronicwavefunction belongs to a particular irreducible representation.
The atomic orbitals are in an environment of reduced symmetry from spherical (Kh )to axial (D~h , C~v ). Each electron with orbital angular momentum Lwill process about the internuclear axis and direction of the circulation can be right or left.
zλ
l
Only projection of L onto internuclear axis Λ
remains useful. The circulationdoes not affect the energy but generate +/- vlues of Λ (double degeneracy)
H2 O C2v A1 , A2 , B1 , B2
-Predictions of the geometry and electronic structure is of importance to build themolecular orbitals!!
e.g., Walsh‘s rules:
for predicting a bent or linear geometryof triatomic molecules
-Symmetry-adapted linear combinations (SALCs) of atomic orbitals are formed byinspection or by use the projection operators
Molecular orbitals:
Atomic and molecular orbitals
Li2 to N2
Diatomic molecules
s, px , py , pza1 , b1 , b2 , a1
H H HH
1SA 1SB
Polyatomic molecule
HOMO
LUMO
X1A1
Atomic and molecular orbitals
Electronic states of diatomic molecule
2S+1ΛJ Λ=Σ λi
Λ=0−−−−−−−−−−−−−ΣΛ=1−−−−−−−−−−−−−ΠΛ=2−−−−−−−−−−−−−Δ
Selection rules for the electronic transitions (more in attached appendix)
ΔΛ=0, +/-1Σ−Σ, Π−Σ, Δ−Π, and so forth
ΔS=0transitions which change multiplicity are very weak for
molecules from light atoms; for haevy atoms, transitions with ΔS/=0 become more strongly allowed
ΔΣ=0transition for Hunds case a
DΩ=0, +/-1
Σ+−Σ+, Σ−
−Σ−
no transition for Σ+
−Σ−
(trnsition dipole moment have
Σ+ symmetry)
Σ+, Σ−
−Π g<->u The transitions e.g., 1Πg
-1Πu are allowed for centrosymmetric molecules
Transitions among the electronic states of O2
Only the B3Σ-u – X3Σ-
g transition is allowedSchumann-Runge system is responsible
for the absorption of UV light for wavelengths λ<200nm in the earth‘s atmosphere
Appendix: Determining selection rules with group theory