0 votes
49 views
ago in Chemical bonding by (550 points)
Identify the resonance structures of the molecule benzene and explain how the delocalization of electrons in the molecule leads to its stability.

1 Answer

0 votes
ago by (530 points)
Benzene  C6H6  is an aromatic hydrocarbon with a planar hexagonal ring structure, where each carbon atom is bonded to two other carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom. The carbon atoms are sp2 hybridized, which means that they form three sigma bonds    and have one unhybridized p-orbital. The resonance structures of benzene can be represented by two equivalent Lewis structures, where the double bonds are located at alternating positions in the hexagonal ring.Resonance Structure 1:  H     H  |     |C=C-C=C-C-H  |     |  H     C        |        HResonance Structure 2:  H     H  |     |C-C=C-C=C-H  |     |  H     C        |        HIn reality, the actual structure of benzene is a hybrid of these two resonance structures. The double bonds are not localized between specific carbon atoms but are instead delocalized across the entire ring. This delocalization of electrons is represented by a circle inside the hexagonal ring.The delocalization of electrons in benzene leads to its stability in several ways:1. Delocalization of the  electrons across the entire ring results in a lower overall energy state for the molecule, making it more stable than if the electrons were localized in specific double bonds.2. The delocalized electrons create a region of electron density above and below the plane of the carbon atoms, which contributes to the molecule's stability by providing additional electrostatic interactions between the electrons and the positively charged carbon nuclei.3. The delocalization of electrons in benzene allows for equal bond lengths and bond strengths between all carbon atoms in the ring. This uniformity in bond characteristics contributes to the overall stability of the molecule.In summary, the resonance structures of benzene show the delocalization of electrons across the entire hexagonal ring, which leads to increased stability due to a lower energy state, additional electrostatic interactions, and uniform bond lengths and strengths.
Welcome to Sarvan Science Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...