Can pi bonds overlap?

1 Answer
Jul 18, 2016

If I took you literally, no, because two #pi# bonds in the same triple bond are perpendicular to each other, and that's the only way for two #pi# bonds to "stack" near each other without electron or nuclear repulsion effects.

They don't overlap at all.

http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/

If you meant #pi#[-compatible] orbitals, then yes, that's how #pi# bonds can form---through sidelong #\mathbf(pi)#-compatible orbital overlap .


Two orbitals that overlap sidelong form a #pi# bond, whether it's two #np_x# or two #np_y# orbitals (both lobes overlap), or two #nd_(xy)# or #nd_(xz)# or #nd_(yz)# orbitals (#2"/"4# lobes overlap).

Here are examples of #sigma# bonds (row 1) and #pi# bonds (row 2):

http://img.tfd.com/