[Thrax]

Hi, need help with an orbital question
The question is...THe unpaired electron in the methyl free radical is:

      
       H
       |
  H- C -H
      * < ---- my free radical

1) in an sp2 orbital
2) in an sp orbital
3) in an Sp3 obital
4) in an 2-s orbital
5) in a 2-p orbital


Wouldnt it be in an 2-p orbital?

1s[11] 2p2[111] <----hybridnized,  leaving a 2-p [1] ?
* the ones are the electrons  

[kingchemist]

In CH4, the 2s2 2p1 2p1 electrons in the ground state of carbon become sp3 hybridised to give four identical sp3 hybrid orbitals.
In the methyl radical one hydrogen atom has left (with an electron) leaving one unpaired electron on carbon.

I have searched the internet and it seems to suggest that in the methyl radical the 2s2 and two 2p orbitals become hybridised to make three sp2 hybrid orbitals (which form bonds with three atoms of H) and the unpaired electron occupies a half-filled p orbital (unhybridised)

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xx_uIP5LgO8C&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=hybridization+in+methyl+radical&source=bl&ots=gkcFlfqHVg&sig=EZRuvukJ7oBSB-OxLUYRhXU9kQY&hl=en&ei=rvtyS6-PK4380wSn452lCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CCQQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=hybridization%20in%20methyl%20radical&f=false
hey

[beus34]

thanks for this information...
hey