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using MO to predict reactivity

these are the MO diagrams for C=C and O=O and the question asks why these diagrams show that the pi bonding is so different and i'm not sure why, I know oxygen is much more reactive, is it because you only need two electrons to break the pi bonds whereas if you added a pair to C=C it would be a triple bond?
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Original post by jacksonmeg
these are the MO diagrams for C=C and O=O and the question asks why these diagrams show that the pi bonding is so different and i'm not sure why, I know oxygen is much more reactive, is it because you only need two electrons to break the pi bonds whereas if you added a pair to C=C it would be a triple bond?


Oxygen's two unpaired electrons are in anti-bonding orbitals and therefore no bonds have to be broken for them to start reaction. They are not contributing to the molecules bonding.

This makes oxygen a diradical (very reactive).
I'm fairly sure you've got the diagram for C2 wrong. The pi level ought to be below the second bonding sigma orbital.

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