Comments on "is it time to retire the hybrid atomic orbital?"

Abstract

A recent contribution to this Journal advocates the retirement of hybrid atomic orbitals based on premises such as "significant experimental evidence and theoretical . indicate that hybrid orbitals do not exist and do not appropriately describe molecular bonding" and the like. Critical analysis, which includes a detailed examination of the photoelectron spectrum of methane, reveals these premises to be ill founded and inconsistent with modern electronic structure analyses. Placed in a modern context, the hybrid orbital concept helps to familiarize students with the methods of working chemists, foster construction of a deeper, more interconnected understanding of chemistry and its connection to the laws of nature, and provides a secure foundation for more advanced chemistry classes. © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.