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How do molecular orbital theory and hybridization explain the bonding in complex molecules such as benzene?

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Molecular Orbital Theory  MO Theory  and hybridization are two complementary approaches to explain the bonding in complex molecules such as benzene.Molecular Orbital Theory:Molecular Orbital Theory describes the formation of molecular orbitals by the linear combination of atomic orbitals. In the case of benzene  C6H6 , the molecule has a planar hexagonal structure with carbon atoms forming the vertices of the hexagon and hydrogen atoms bonded to each carbon atom. Each carbon atom contributes one 2s and three 2p orbitals, which combine to form molecular orbitals.In benzene, the six carbon atoms' 2pz orbitals combine to form six  molecular orbitals, three bonding    and three antibonding  * . The bonding  orbitals are lower in energy than the atomic orbitals, while the antibonding * orbitals are higher in energy. The 2s and 2px,y orbitals of the carbon atoms combine to form  molecular orbitals.The six  electrons in benzene occupy the three bonding  orbitals, resulting in a stable, delocalized  electron cloud above and below the plane of the carbon atoms. This delocalization of electrons leads to the characteristic aromaticity of benzene, which contributes to its stability and unique chemical properties.Hybridization:Hybridization is a concept that helps explain the geometry and bonding in molecules by combining atomic orbitals to form hybrid orbitals. In benzene, each carbon atom undergoes sp2 hybridization, where one 2s and two 2p orbitals combine to form three sp2 hybrid orbitals.These sp2 hybrid orbitals form  bonds with the adjacent carbon atoms and the hydrogen atoms, resulting in a planar structure with bond angles of approximately 120 degrees. The remaining unhybridized 2pz orbital on each carbon atom is perpendicular to the plane of the molecule and participates in the formation of the  bonds, as described in MO Theory.In summary, Molecular Orbital Theory and hybridization work together to explain the bonding in complex molecules like benzene. MO Theory provides insight into the delocalized  electron cloud and its contribution to the stability and aromaticity of benzene, while hybridization helps explain the planar geometry and  bonding in the molecule.
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