On the molecular structure of hydrogen peroxide
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Hydrogen peroxide: Its three-dimensional structure is similar to a book that is half-opened, with the two oxygen atoms located at the seam of the book, and the two hydrogen atoms occupying each of the two pages of the book. http://imgsrc.baidu.com/baike/pic/item/b999a9014c086e06ca6242e802087bf40bd1cb4f.jpg The angle between the two pages is 93°51′; I wonder why it is 93°51′ instead of 180° Isn’t the 180-degree conformation less stable? If you’d like a detailed explanation, could someone please give me an answer?
This post was last edited by qugd on 2012-6-16 09:45. This takes into account the bonding electrons in the oxygen atoms, namely the H-O bond formed with hydrogen atoms and the O-O bond between the two oxygen atoms. Additionally, each oxygen atom has two pairs of lone electrons, and the outward extension of these lone electrons influences the direction in which the O-H bonds extend; therefore, their arrangement is not linear like that of acetylene. That is, the two oxygen atoms in hydrogen peroxide use SP3 hybridized orbitals, with the paired electrons of each oxygen atom extending in four different directions; whereas the two carbon atoms in acetylene use SP hybridized orbitals, with the bonding electrons extending along the straight line of the C-C bond. The diagram below is an extended model of the bonding electron cloud of a hydrogen peroxide molecule; you should be able to understand it. http://www.cngspw.com/Doc/data.WebNoteBooks/20060504134553/h2o2.gif While linear acetylene appears as shown in the figure below. http://vipftp.eku.cc/vrw/sc/sctx/29576995898.jpg