text: A bimolecular elimination reaction will occur in a molecule where the breaking carbon-hydrogen bond and the leaving group are anti-periplanar (Figure 8). This geometry is preferred because it aligns σ and σ* orbitals. Figure 9 shows the σ orbital and the σ* orbital parallel to each other, allowing the σ orbital to donate into the σ* anti-bonding orbital through hyperconjugation. This serves to weaken C-H and C-X bond, both of which are broken in an E reaction. It also sets up the molecule to more easily move its σ electrons into a π orbital (Figure 10).