Orbitals in Chemistry
A Modern Guide for Students

This undergraduate textbook presents a discussion of the role of atomic and molecular orbitals in chemistry.

Victor M. S. Gil (Author)

9780521666497, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 10 August 2000

328 pages, 127 b/w illus. 120 exercises
24.6 x 17.4 x 2 cm, 0.614 kg

"Orbitals in Chemistry is a deftly written book. In smooth-flowing easy-to-read prose, Gill provides a very brief introduction to quantum mechanics, an overview of the ideas underlying atomic and molecular orbitals, and discussions of the applications of orbitals to chemical bonding and transition metal complexes, and solids...A major and unique strength of the book is reference to 85 papers on teaching, 73 of them from this Journal. These references and the associated discussions highlight subtle issues and common misunderstandings associated with quantum mechanics and the orbital concept. These references could easily be used to develop student projects to enhance understanding." Journal of Chemical Education Vol. 78

This text presents a unified and up-to-date discussion of the role of atomic and molecular orbitals in chemistry, from the quantum mechanical foundations to the recent developments and applications. The discussion is mainly qualitative, largely based on symmetry arguments. It is felt that a sound mastering of the concepts and qualitative interpretations is needed, especially when students are becoming more and more familiar with numerical calculations based on atomic and molecular orbitals. The text is mathematically less demanding than most traditional quantum chemistry books but still retains clarity and rigour. The physical insight is maximized and abundant illustrations are used. The relationships between the more formal quantum mechanical formalisms and the traditional chemical descriptions of chemical bonding are critically established. This book is of primary interest to undergraduate chemistry students and others taking courses of which chemistry is a significant part.

1. Energy, probability and electrons
2. An introduction to the dynamics of microsystems
3. One electron atoms: atomic orbitals
4. The one electron molecule H2+: molecular orbitals
5. Many electron atoms and the orbital concept
6. Orbitals in diatomic molecules
7. Orbitals in polyatomic molecules
8. Molecular orbitals and electron pair bonding
9. p Molecular orbitals: conjugation and resonance
10. Patterns in localised chemical bonds
11. The concept of molecular orbitals in other systems
12. Orbitals in action.

Subject Areas: Chemistry [PN], Physics [PH]