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This is the molecular orbital diagram for nitric oxide:

Now, we know that nitric oxide can dimerize. However, why does nitric oxide dimerize as to form an N-N bond? Why not an O-O bond? Wouldn't the lone electron be more likely "possessed" by the oxygen since oxygen is more electronegative (if we were to step away from molecular orbital theory for a second).

Is this a Coulombic effect? Oxygen, by nature of being more electronegative, attracts more electron density to itself. This in turn would weaken any hypothetical O-O bond due to electron-electron repulsions.

This is the molecular orbital diagram for nitric oxide:

Now, we know that nitric oxide can dimerize. However, why does nitric oxide dimerize as to form an $\ce{N-N}$ bond? Why not an $\ce{O-O}$ bond? Wouldn't the lone electron be more likely "possessed" by the oxygen since oxygen is more electronegative (if we were to step away from molecular orbital theory for a second).

Is this a Coulombic effect? Oxygen, by nature of being more electronegative, attracts more electron density to itself. This in turn would weaken any hypothetical $\ce{O-O}$ bond due to electron-electron repulsions.

This is the molecular orbital diagram for nitric oxide:

Now, we know that nitric oxide can dimerize. However, why does nitric oxide dimerize as to form an N-N bond? Why not an O-O bond? Wouldn't the lone electron be more likely "possessed" by the oxygen since oxygen is more electronegative (if we were to step away from molecular orbital theory for a second).

Is this a Coulombic effect? Oxygen, by nature of being more electronegative, attracts more electron density to itself. This in turn would weaken any hypothetical O-O bond due to electron-electron repulsions.

This is the molecular orbital diagram for nitric oxide:

Now, we know that nitric oxide can dimerize. However, why does nitric oxide dimerize as to form an N-N bond? Why not an O-O bond? Wouldn't the lone electron be more likely "possessed" by the oxygen since oxygen is more electronegative (if we were to step away from molecular orbital theory for a second).

Is this a Coulombic effect? Oxygen, by nature of being more electronegative, attracts more electron density to itself. This in turn would weaken any hypothetical O-O bond due to electron-electron repulsions.

This is the molecular orbital diagram for nitric oxide:

Now, we know that nitric oxide can dimerize. However, why does nitric oxide dimerize as to form an N-N bond? Why not an O-O bond? Wouldn't the lone electron be more likely "possessed" by the oxygen since oxygen is more electronegative (if we were to step away from molecular orbital theory for a second).

This is the molecular orbital diagram for nitric oxide:

Now, we know that nitric oxide can dimerize. However, why does nitric oxide dimerize as to form an N-N bond? Why not an O-O bond? Wouldn't the lone electron be more likely "possessed" by the oxygen since oxygen is more electronegative (if we were to step away from molecular orbital theory for a second).

Is this a Coulombic effect? Oxygen, by nature of being more electronegative, attracts more electron density to itself. This in turn would weaken any hypothetical O-O bond due to electron-electron repulsions.