JEE Main 2026 — Apr 4, Shift 2 — Chemistry solution

JEE Main2026Apr 4, Shift 2Chemistry

Which of the following pictorial diagram most correctly represents the $π^{*}$ ( $π$ – antibonding) molecular orbital between two atoms if the internuclear axis is taken to be in the z-direction ( $z-axis$ )?

Solution

For a $π$ molecular orbital, the constituent p-orbitals lie perpendicular to the internuclear (z) axis (so $p_{x}$ or $p_{y}$ ).

In the antibonding $π^{*}$ MO, the two p-orbitals overlap with opposite phases, generating a nodal plane between the nuclei (in addition to the inherent nodal plane through the axis). The destructive interference appears as opposite shading on the two atoms.

Option (3) shows two perpendicular p-lobes on adjacent atoms with opposite phases — the correct $π_{p_{y}}^{*}$ representation.

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