Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Pi orbitalorbital): The bonding molecular orbital component of a pi bond.


The π orbital of ethylene's carbon-carbon pi bond has two orbital lobes, one above the plane of the atoms, and another below the plane. This is a bonding molecular orbital. The plane containing the atoms is also the pi orbital's one node.


The π* orbital of ethylene's carbon-carbon pi bond has four orbital lobes (two orbital lobes on each sp2 carbon atom). It is an antibonding molecular orbital. This π* orbital has two nodes: one node is the plane which contains the atoms, and the other node is a plane perpendicular to this, between the two carbon atoms.