What are states of hybridization in homodesmotic reactions?

1 Answer
Dec 26, 2014

States of hybridization in a homodesmotic reaction refer to whether the bonds are sp³, sp², or sp hybridized.

The products and reactants in homodesmotic reactions must also have equal numbers of each type of carbon-carbon bond: C_(sp^3)"-"C_(sp^3) , C_(sp^3)"-"C_(sp^2) , C_(sp^3)"-"C_(sp) , C_(sp^2)"-"C_(sp^2) ,C_(sp^2)"-"C_(sp) , C_(sp)"-"C_(sp) , C_(sp^2)"="C_(sp^2) , C_(sp^2)"="C_(sp) , C_(sp)"≡"C_(sp).

An example illustrating this definition is the reaction

www.cup.uni-muenchen.de

The reactants and products contain equal numbers of bonds between carbons in the same state of hybridization and hydrogens bound to identical atom types.

C_(sp^3)"-"C_(sp^2) = 1

C_(sp^2)"-"C_(sp^2) = 1

C_(sp^2)"-"C_(sp) = 1

C_(sp^2)"="C_(sp^2) = 3

C_(sp)"≡"C_(sp) = 1

C_(sp^3)H_3 = 1

C_(sp^2)H_2 = 3

C_(sp^2)H = 2

C_(sp)H = 1