Isoelectronicity

Two or more molecular entities (atoms, molecules, ions) are described as being isoelectronic^[1] with each other if they have the same number of valence electrons and the same structure (number and connectivity of atoms), regardless of the nature of the elements involved.

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Examples

N and the O⁺ ion are isoelectronic because each has 5 electrons in the outer electronic shell.

CO, N₂ and NO⁺ are isoelectronic because each have 2 nuclei and 10 valence electrons (4+6, 5+5, and 5+5, respectively).

CH₂=C=O and CH₂=N⁺=N^- are isoelectronic.

CH₃COCH₃ and CH₃N₂CH₃ are not isoelectronic. They do have the same number of nuclei and the same number of valence electrons, but the atoms' connectivity is different: the first one has both methyl (CH₃) groups attached to carbonyl's (CO's) carbon atom; the second molecule's structure is linear: H₃C-N=N-CH₃; methyl groups are not connected to the same nitrogen atom.

Notes

1. ^ Compendium of Chemical Terminology, isoelectronic

See also

• Atom
• Molecule
• Ion
• Electron
• Electronic configuration
• Valence bond theory