Why does NO+ have a triple bond?

[ecoli]

Why does NO+ have a triple bond? The formal charges would be the same with 1 bond and two lone pairs on each atom, so wouldn't it be just as stable?

[budullewraagh]

but then the octet rule wouldn't be satisfied.

 

N-O

 

nitrogen would have 2 lone pairs and the bond, so effectively 6 electrons. oxygen would have effectively 7 electrons.

[ecoli]

oh, right... that makes perfect sense.

 

sorry for that question, I really should be seeing these things for myself.

[ajw2255]

The best way to do it is with molecular orbital thory, if u look at O and N+ O has 2 electrons in 2s and 4 in 2p, and N+ has 2 is 2s and 2 in 2p. When the orbitals combine the s orbitals combine to form an antibonding and binding orbitals, so cancel out.

The total 6 p electrons combine to form 3 bonding orbitals, with the 3 antibonding orbitals left empty.

Gives a bond order of 3, --> triple bond.