For an element with a partially filled 3d subshell, which d orbital is most likely to form a pi bond and why?

• A. d xy because its lobes can overlap sideways with adjacent p orbitals.
• B. d yz due to its spherical symmetry.
• C. d z squared because it is symmetrical around the z axis.
• D. d x squared minus y squared because it aligns with the axes.

Answer: (A)