Subjective Type

Discuss the structure of benzene laying emphasis on resonance and orbital structure.

Solution

History about benzene i.e. $$C_6H_6$$- Isolated in 1825 by Michael Faraday who determined $$C:H$$ ratio to be $$1:1$$.
Synthesized in 1834 by Eilhard Mitscherlich who determined molecular formula to be $$C_6H_6$$. He named it benzin later known as benzene.

Orbital structure of benzene
An orbital model for the benzene structure Building the orbital model Benzene is built from hydrogen atoms ($$1s^2$$ ) and carbon atoms ($$1s^2,2s^2,2p_x^1,2py^1$$). Each carbon atom has to join to three other atoms (one hydrogen and two carbons) and doesn't have enough unpaired electrons to form the required number of bonds, so it needs to promote one of the $$2s^2$$ pair into the empty $$2pz$$ orbital.
The new orbitals formed are called $$sp^2$$ hybrids, because they are made by an s orbital and two p orbitals reorganizing themselves.
The three $$sp^2$$ hybrid orbitals arrange themselves as far apart as possible which is at $$120^0$$ to each other in a plane. The remaining p orbital is at right angles to them.
Each carbon atom now looks like the diagram on the right. This is all exactly the same as happens in ethene.
The difference in benzene is that each carbon atom is joined to two other similar carbon atoms instead of just one. Each carbon atom uses the $$sp^2$$hybrids to form sigma bonds with two other carbons and one hydrogen atom.
The Pi Molecular Orbitals of Benzene – Master Organic Chemistry


SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Hydrocarbons

In benzene all the C-C bonds have the same length because of :

Hydrocarbons

The six carbon atoms of benzene are of:

Hydrocarbons

Reactivity of a double or a triple bond is due to the:

Hydrocarbons

Which of the following reagents is weakly activating group :

Hydrocarbons

Which of the following statement is not true for benzene :

Hydrocarbons

Benzene does not undergo polymerisation due to:

Hydrocarbons

Point out the incorrect statement of the about resonance?

Hydrocarbons

All bonds in benzene are equal due to:

Hydrocarbons

How many total resonance structures can be drawn for the following anion (including those without separation of charge)?

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