The non-bonding to π* transition in acetone requires less energy than the π to π* transition, yet the π to π* transition has a much higher Emax.

This discrepancy can be explained by the fact that the non-bonding to π* transition involves the promotion of an electron from a non-bonding orbital to a π* antibonding orbital, which requires less energy due to the lower energy level of the non-bonding orbital. On the other hand, the π to π* transition involves the promotion of an electron from a π bonding orbital to a higher energy π* antibonding orbital, which requires more energy.

The higher Emax of the π to π* transition can be attributed to the greater energy difference between the π and π* orbitals compared to the non-bonding and π* orbitals. This larger energy gap results in a higher energy of the absorbed photon required to promote an electron from the π to the π* orbital, leading to a higher Emax for this transition.

In summary, the lower energy requirement of the non-bonding to π* transition is due to the lower energy level of the non-bonding orbital involved, while the higher Emax of the π to π* transition is a result of the larger energy difference between the π and π* orbitals.

The non-bonding to π- transition in acetone requires less energy than the π to π- transition because the non-bonding electrons are higher in energy than the π electrons. This means that it takes less energy to excite the non-bonding electrons to the π- orbital than it does to excite the π electrons to the π- orbital.

However, the π to π- transition has a much higher Emax because the π electrons are more delocalized than the non-bonding electrons. This means that the π electrons can spread out over a larger area, which results in a stronger interaction with the π- orbital. This stronger interaction leads to a higher Emax.