Chapter 9, Problem 107IP

As the bead engineer of your starship in charge of the warp drive, you notice that the supply of dilithium is critically low. While searching for a replacement fuel, you discover some diboron, B₂.

a. What is the bond order in Li₂ and B₂?

b. How many electrons must be removed from B₂ to make it isoelectronic with Li₂ so that it might be used in the warp drive?

c. The reaction to make B₂ isoelectroruc with Li₂ is generalized (where n = number of electrons determined in part b) as follows:

$B_2\to B_2{}^{n+}+n{e}^{-} \Delta E=6455kJ/mol$

How much energy is needed to ionize 1.5 kg B₂ to lhe desired isoelectroruc species?