A way of combining
Atomic Orbitals to encompass the whole molecule. These linear combinations of the
electron orbits of the
atoms provide an approximation to the
electron density of the whole molecule. Obviously, this allows you to make estimations of the stability of molecules as well as providing some information about charged and excited states.
Hydrogen Hydrogen Molecular Orbitals
Atomic
Orbitals
_
/|\
/ | \ _____________ sigma*
|E / /^\
|L / |
|E / |electron destabilisation
|C / |
2xH ___|T_______ / _ _ _ _ _ _ _
|R \ |
|O \ |electron stabilisation
|N \ |
| \ \ /
|E \_____________ sigma
|N
|E
|R
|G
|Y